Amateur-built BD-4 accident near Leadville, Colorado, June 17, 1994
On June 17, 1994 at about 3:40 pm local time, a amateur-built BD-4, registered N76DG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leadville, Colorado (Lake County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS WERE AN UNRELIABLE AIRSPEED INDICATOR AND EXCESSIVE LANDING APPROACH AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1994 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Leadville, Colorado · Lake County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BD-4
- Registration
- N76DG · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR 'NEVER INDICATED AS MUCH AS 75 MILES PER HOUR' AND, AS A RESULT, THE LANDING APPROACH WAS MADE WITH EXCESSIVE SPEED. THE PILOT SAID AFTER THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, IT STARTED SWERVING AND HE OVER-CONTROLLED. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, WENT DOWN A SMALL HILL, STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT, AND NOSED OVER.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from LXV
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.
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.