Amateur-built EAGLE II accident near Snowmass, Colorado, July 5, 1987
On July 5, 1987 at about 11:08 pm local time, a amateur-built EAGLE II, registered N81DG, was destroyed in an accident near Snowmass, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- July 5, 1987 · about 11:08 pm local time
- Place
- Snowmass, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EAGLE II
- Registration
- N81DG · registry record · serial 001DG
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ATP PLT AND HIS PASSENGER DEPARTED ASPEN, CO ON A LOCAL ACROBATIC FLIGHT. WITNESSES STATED THE PLT HAD BEEN PERFORMING ACROBATIC MANUEVERS AND WAS ATTEMPTING A 'LOOP' WHEN THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO 'STALL' AT THE TOP OF THE MANUEVER, APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT SPIN IN A NEAR VERTICAL, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL GRD IMPACT. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE, ENG OR PROP WAS FOUND. THE PLT HAD BUILT N81DG.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,553 hours in all; 112 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,237 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE Aspen CO at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:22 pm from ASE, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.