Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Lennox, South Dakota, January 8, 1995
On January 8, 1995 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N29PG, was destroyed in an accident near Lennox, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO DRUGS WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 1995 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lennox, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N29PG · registry record · serial 1605
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING LOW ALTITUDE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. RADAR TRACKING DATA, AVAILABLE ABOVE AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX 800 FT AGL, ALSO SHOWS A VFR TARGET CONDUCTING LOW ALTITUDE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION. THE AIRPLANE HAD COME TO REST 132 FT FROM THE FIRST IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS REVEALED 0.031 UG/ML BROMPHENIRAMINE AND 0.012 UG/ML DIPHENHYDRAMINE IN THE BLOOD SPECIMEN. THERAPEUTIC LEVELS ARE 0.016-0.070 AND 0.100 RESPECTIVELY. BROMPHENIRAMINE AND DIPHENHYDRAMINE (ANTIHISTAMINES) ARE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS IN MANY NONPRESCRIPTION COLD AND ALLERGY MEDICATIONS, AND CAN CAUSE DROWSINESS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 914 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 914 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 749 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1994; 158 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FSD Sioux Falls SD at 8:37 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from FSD, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI95DTK01.