Amateur-built VANS RV-4 accident near North Platte, Nebraska, November 8, 1999
On November 8, 1999 at about 7:35 pm local time, a amateur-built VANS RV-4, registered N517A, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Platte, Nebraska (North Platte Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
aircraft control not being maintained by the pilot. A factor to the accident was the crosswind weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 1999 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- North Platte, Nebraska · North Platte Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS RV-4
- Registration
- N517A · registry record · serial 815
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing flare, the wind 'weathercocked' the airplane to the right. The pilot stated that he added left rudder and power and as the airplane, '...came straight the wind got under the R [right] wing and lifted it vertical.' The pilot reported that the left wing tip contacted the ground and the airplane cartwheeled hitting the nose, then the right wingtip, and finally the tail. The airplane came to rest in an up-right attitude.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,064 hours in all; 252 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,022 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 240 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1999; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 4:30 pm
- Destination: LBF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from LBF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.