Gillette Cambell County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gillette, Wyoming 82716
Thursday, June 23, 1983 11:01 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE ACFT. WHILE ON A X-COUNTRY TRIP, HE LANDED AT AN ARPT WITH AN ELEVATION OF 4363 FT & REFUELED. WHEN HE WAS TAKING OFF, THE DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 7089 FT & THE ACFT WAS NEAR ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PLT RADIOED THAT HE 'WAS HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE GAINING ALT.' HE THEN STATED THAT THE ACFT HAD PROBLEMS & HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE. A STALL WARNING HORN WAS OPERATING AS HE WAS TRANSMITTING. THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE WHILE AT A RELATIVELY LOW AIRSPEED. AN EXAM OF THE ENG, ACFT SYSTEMS & FLT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. ACCORDING TO A LYCOMING REP, THE ENG WOULD HAVE BEEN PRODUCING A MIXIMUM OF 79% OF ITS RATED POWER AT A DENSITY ALT OF 7089 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1101
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GILLETTE
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82716
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GILLETTE CAMBELL COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GCC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4363
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7089
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 4
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2775
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23070
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6029V
NTSB Number DEN83FA150
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 LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-4-200
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-4-200
Aircraft Serial Number 782
Certified Max Gross Weight 2690
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 614
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL C. KEITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 870364
Aircraft Owner City WASILLA
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99687
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 Yes - certificate holder
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code YYC
Destination City CALGARY
Destination State CN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 2970
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --