Rainbow Sky Reach (PTY) LTD BUSHCAT accident near Mack, Colorado, May 29, 2016
On May 29, 2016 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2015 Rainbow Sky Reach (PTY) LTD BUSHCAT, registered N273BC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mack, Colorado (Mack Mesa airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in runway excursion, impact with a ditch, and nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2016 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mack, Colorado · Mack Mesa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rainbow Sky Reach (PTY) LTD BUSHCAT, built 2015 · all BUSHCATs on the register
- Registration
- N273BC · no longer on the register · serial CH156B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll in gusty wind conditions, the airplane veered off the runway to the left, impacted an irrigation ditch, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left lift strut. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot, the weather at the time of the accident was wind variable at 5-7 knots, and wind gusts 10 knots. The airplane landed on runway 25.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 6,975 as pilot in command; 2,687 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 2, 2016
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 72 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 72 hours total
- Operator: Executive Aircraft And Jewelry LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: AIB Nucla CO at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 10CO Mack CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KGJT, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 GAA16CA270.