Bullhead City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bullhead City, Arizona 86429
Saturday, April 20, 2013 7:20 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The wreckage was located on airport property in the early morning hours having crashed under unknown circumstances. There were no witnesses to the accident. The medical examiner determined that the pilot died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and the manner of death was determined to be suicide.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s suicidal act.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/2013
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 720
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Bullhead City
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86429
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 350942N
Event Location Longitude 1143332W
Event Location Airport Bullhead City Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IFP
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 625
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 655 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID IFP
Elevation of weather observation facility 645
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KIFP 201355Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 15/M11 A2
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 31491
NTSB Notification Source FAA WP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 18 2013 1:57PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N194BD
NTSB Number WPR13LA203
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HOFFMAN
Aircraft Model RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3296
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH THOMAS A
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City COTTONWOOD
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86326-2615
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name JOSEPH THOMAS A
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City COTTONWOOD
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 86326-2615
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 P52
Departure City Cottonwood
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Unknown
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 18 2013 1:57PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 7500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --