Buena Vista Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buena Vista, Colorado 81211
Sunday, July 18, 1999 15:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

This was to be the pilot's first solo flight in the airplane, and he intended to practice takeoffs and landings. He began his takeoff roll on runway 33. When the airplane reached 60 knots, it 'suddenly and unexpectedly' became airborne (rotation speed was said to be 70 to 75 knots). The airplane dropped back onto the runway, bounced, and became airborne again. The pilot said he then lost control of the airplane. It struck a dirt median and nosed over.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane. Factors were his unfamiliarity with the airplane, and the soft terrain that caused the airplane to nose over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BUENA VISTA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81211
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BUENA VISTA MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7V1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 7945
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID 7V1
Elevation of weather observation facility 7945
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 13
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 10086
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
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) 265
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:44AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6577C
NTSB Number DEN99LA122
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rader
Aircraft Model LONG EZ
Aircraft Series Identifier LONG EZ
Aircraft Serial Number 1537-L
Certified Max Gross Weight 1425
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 Jun 11 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 569
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAYMOND D. & ANN D. BISHOP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 33551 MT. HARVARD, PO BOX 4609
Aircraft Owner City BUENA VISTA
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81211
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 7V1
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 8300
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --