Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Platte Valley Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hudson, Colorado 80642
Thursday, March 1, 2001 15:50 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot had just taken off and was climbing at 80 percent power (5,000 rpm) when he noticed the EGT rising "into redline 1,625 degrees F." He leveled off, reduced power to 4,800 rpm, and reduced propeller pitch. EGT stopped rising and came down slightly, but was still above redline. All other engine indications were normal. EGT continued to rise and the engine started losing power and was "running rough." The pilot tried to land at a nearby airport, but was forced to make a landing in an open field. He said he flared at the the last moment and hit the ground sharply. The nose wheel broke off when it struck a tire track and the airplane nosed over. The pilot, who also built the airplane, suspected detonation caused the rise in EGT.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the loss of engine power as a result of detonation. A contributing factor was the unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/1/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1550 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Hudson |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80642 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Platte Valley Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 18V |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 315 |
| Airport Elevation | 4965 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1555 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 355 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GXY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4658 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 26 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 17 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 24 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.79 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 5315 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10231 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NW ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 1 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1729 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 30 2001 11:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Denver FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4386W |
| NTSB Number | DEN01LA059 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Meshko Zenair |
| Aircraft Model | CH-701 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 001 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1328 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 11 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 4 |
| Airframe Hours | 56 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | George M. Meshko |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Denver |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80202 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | GXY |
| Departure City | Greeley |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1530 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 48V |
| Destination City | Erie |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 26 2001 11:32AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |