Amateur-built Pulsar XP accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, September 4, 2007
On September 4, 2007 at about 1:30 am local time, a amateur-built Pulsar XP, registered N137GK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona (Cottonwood airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2007 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Cottonwood, Arizona · Cottonwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Pulsar XP
- Registration
- N137GK · no longer on the register · serial 466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane was climbing through 300 feet with an airspeed of about 80 mph, when the engine began to run "very rough" and lose power. The power decayed to idle, although the engine continued to run. The pilot executed a forced landing straight ahead, and during the ground roll, the airplane encountered a ditch. The canopy separated, both main landing gear struts were broken, and the fuselage sustained structural damage. During post-accident examination of the airplane, the engine was started and run at idle power. The left and right ignition systems were checked. No discrepancies were noted. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,700 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 236 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,060 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P52 Cottonwood AZ at 1:15 am
- Destination: P52
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.