Amateur-built RV4 accident near Elbert, Colorado, May 7, 1994
On May 7, 1994 at about 10:14 pm local time, a amateur-built RV4, registered N88LG, was destroyed in an accident near Elbert, Colorado (Kelly Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADVERTENT STALL SPIN. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S PERFORMANCE OF AEROBATIC MANEUVERS AT AN INADEQUATE ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1994 · about 10:14 pm local time
- Place
- Elbert, Colorado · Kelly Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV4
- Registration
- N88LG · registry record · serial RV4-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RADIOED HE WAS GOING TO MAKE A LOW NORTH-SOUTH PASS OVER THE GLIDERPORT. WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE FLEW 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, PULLED UP TO 800 FEET, DID A WINGOVER, AND ENTERED A SPIN. ONE WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE STOP SPINNING JUST BEFORE IMPACT. SHE SAID THE NOSE PITCHED UP ABRUPTLY, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN ACCELERATED STALL, AND DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED 2.1 HOURS OF AEROBATIC INSTRUCTION AND 7.1 HOURS SOLO AEROBATICS IN VARIOUS AIRPLANES IN 1992. IN 1993 AND 1994, THE PILOT LOGGED 9.1 HOURS OF SOLO AEROBATICS IN THE RV4, INCLUDING LOOPS, ROLLS, INVERTED FLIGHT, WINGOVERS, AND SPINS.
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: 618 hours in all; 346 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 539 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 524 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1994; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,528 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 9:45 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from COS, 24 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.
Other NTSB records under N88LG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW94FA149.