Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Byers, Colorado 80103
Wednesday, March 15, 1995 14:06 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON THE SECOND FLIGHT IN A RECENTLY PURCHASED HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO RETURN TO THE POINT OF ORIGIN AND WAS FOUND BURNED IN A PASTURE BY A RANCHER FEEDING HIS CATTLE. THE PILOT/OWNER WAS A PRIVATE PILOT WITH APPROXIMATELY 113 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IN LIGHT SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT. HE HAD NO TURBINE, HIGH PERFORMANCE, OR RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCE. INVESTIGATION PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT IMPACT OCCURRED IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, HIGH SINK RATE, WINGS LEVEL, CLEAN CONFIGURATION. ENGINE OPERATION AT THE TIME OF IMPACT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. WEATHER WAS VISUAL CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS WERE: LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF OPERATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1406
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BYERS
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80103
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1445 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5330
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 80
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N777TK
NTSB Number FTW95FA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HINSHAW, KEITH T.
Aircraft Model BD5TP
Aircraft Series Identifier BD5TP
Aircraft Serial Number 416
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ZACHRICH, MICHAEL L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6335 S. GLENCOE
Aircraft Owner City LITTLETON
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80121
Operator is an individual? --
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? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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 FTG
Departure City WATKINS
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --