Amateur-built OSPREY GP-4 accident near Canon City, Colorado, June 25, 1993
On June 25, 1993 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built OSPREY GP-4, registered N85Z, was destroyed in an accident near Canon City, 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
FAILURE BY THE PILOT/BUILDER TO FOLLOW CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS AND THE USE OF IMPROPER MATERIALS DURING CONSTRUCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1993 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Canon City, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built OSPREY GP-4 OSPREY GP-
- Registration
- N85Z · no longer on the register · serial 125
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT BROKE UP IN FLIGHT WITH THE CANOPY AND HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL STABILIZER SEPARATING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. REVIEW OF DESIGN SPECIFICATION PROVIDED INFORMATION THAT THE PILOT/BUILDER HAD USED A NON STANDARD CANOPY LATCH AND CONSTRUCTED THE WINDSHIELD BOW FROM FIBERGLASS VICE THE ALUMINUM MATERIAL REQUIRED. THE CANOPY CAME OFF IN FLIGHT AND STRUCK THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER CAUSING THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL STABILIZER TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1993; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO 360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from PUB, 15 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N85Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.