Amateur-built SEAWIND accident near Buena Vista, Colorado, July 4, 2016
On July 4, 2016 at about 5:28 pm local time, a 2006 amateur-built SEAWIND, registered N46EB, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Buena Vista, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power, which resulted in a hard landing and nose over. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined due to the severity of the postimpact fire damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2016 · about 5:28 pm local time
- Place
- Buena Vista, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SEAWIND NO SERIES, built 2006
- Registration
- N46EB · no longer on the register · serial 64
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was making a personal flight in the experimental amateur-built airplane. A witness at the destination airport reported hearing the pilot declare a "mayday" on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency, but the pilot did not state the nature of the emergency. Witnesses near the accident site reported hearing the airplane's engine running extremely rough and seeing the airplane's wings rocking back and forth. The accident site was in an open, flat field with sparse vegetation and ample area in which to make a forced landing. Examination of the wreckage indicated that the airplane impacted the ground and nosed over, and a fire then erupted which consumed most of the airplane. Fire damage precluded a complete examination of the airframe, engine, and systems; however, the examinations that were performed did not reveal any preimpact anomalies. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the airplane's engine lost partial power for a reason that could not be determined due to the extent of the fire damage, and the pilot did not maintain control of the airplane during the ensuing forced landing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during landing
- Hard landing during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LXV Leadville CO
- Destination: AEJ Buena Vista CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from AEJ, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 2, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photograph Array | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.