Lake LA-4-200 accident near Gillette, Wyoming, June 23, 1983
On June 23, 1983 at about 5:01 pm local time, a Lake LA-4-200, registered N6029V, was destroyed in an accident near Gillette, Wyoming (Gillette Cambell County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1983 · about 5:01 pm local time
- Place
- Gillette, Wyoming · Gillette Cambell County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4-200 · all LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N6029V · registry record · serial 782
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 484 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 347 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 614 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,690 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: YYC Calgary
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,970 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.