Amateur-built BACKCOUNTRY SUPERCUB accident near Fort Morgan, Colorado, November 24, 2015
On November 24, 2015 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 2015 amateur-built BACKCOUNTRY SUPERCUB, registered N842MC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fort Morgan, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive braking during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 2015 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Morgan, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BACKCOUNTRY SUPERCUB, built 2015
- Registration
- N842MC · registry record · serial TCQ1207085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during final approach he observed "prairie dog holes" on the private grass runway. The touchdown was "normal," but during the rollout the pilot observed additional prairie dog holes ahead and applied the brakes. Subsequently, the airplane skidded for about 50 feet on the "soft and sandy" area of the runway and nosed over. The vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damaged. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,109 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,078 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 11, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 69.8 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 27, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Aero Sport Power O-375-C4A (piston); 70 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2CO3 Milliken CO at 8:30 pm
- Destination: None Fort Morgan CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 1,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KGXY, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA16CA061.