Flight Design GMBH CTLS accident near Kayenta, Arizona, June 19, 2025
On June 19, 2025 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 2008 Flight Design GMBH CTLS, registered N454CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Kayenta, Arizona (Kayenta airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 pilots’ failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2025 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kayenta, Arizona · Kayenta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTLS, built 2008 · all CTLSs on the register
- Registration
- N454CT · registry record · serial F-08-08-23
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The right-seated pilot stated that both he and the left-seated pilot were flying for the purpose of building their total airplane hours. After departing, they maneuvered for about an hour and opted to land at a local airport and eat lunch. Despite waiting for a while for the wind to become calmer, they departed in gusting crosswind conditions. The right-seated pilot was flying the airplane and after reaching about 10 ft above ground level (agl), the wind suddenly changed directions, and they were unable to maintain airplane control. The left-seated pilot asked for control of the airplane then attempted to touch back down on the runway, but the airplane’s wheels contacted vegetation adjacent to the runway. The nose gear collapsed, and the airplane flipped over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the fuselage during the accident sequence. The pilots reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Copilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 518.4 hours in all; 24.4 in this make and model; 192.1 in the last 90 days; 78.6 in the last 30 days; 439.1 as pilot in command; 165.5 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 14, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 588.2 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,185.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 2025; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS Series (piston); 1,148 hours total
- Operator: Ample Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 0V7 Kayenta AZ at 3:29 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05-2, 7,101 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:20 pm from OV7
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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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 WPR25LA187.