Amateur-built RV-6 and Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO mid-air collision near Boulder, Colorado, June 29, 1996
On June 29, 1996 at about 8:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built RV-6 (N194JP) and Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO (N103LM), were involved in a mid-air collision near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Municipal airport). 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Poor judgment by the pilot of the RV-6, N194JP, in that he traversed an uncontrolled airport at traffic pattern altitude, failure of the pilots of both airplanes to see and avoid each other, and an inadvertent airplane stall encountered by the pilot of the RV-6 while maneuvering for an emergency landing.
Poor judgment by the pilot of the RV-6, N194JP, in that he traversed an uncontrolled airport at traffic pattern altitude, failure of the pilots of both airplanes to see and avoid each other, and an inadvertent airplane stall encountered by the pilot of the RV-6 while maneuvering for an emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1996 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built RV-6
- Registration
- N194JP · no longer on the register · serial 21752
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO G103C TWIN · all G103C TWIN III ACROs on the register
- Registration
- N103LM · registry record · serial 34107
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built RV-6 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the RV-6, N194JP, was crossing over the airport at traffic pattern altitude (6,100 feet msl, 812 feet agl) en route to Englewood, Colorado. The pilot of the glider, N103LM, was approaching the airport at pattern altitude and was getting ready to turn onto the downwind leg. The front seat passenger in the glider yelled that there was an approaching airplane directly in front. The pilot of the glider made a steep left bank and deployed his dive brakes in an evasive maneuver. According to witnesses, the glider's right wing tip struck the approaching RV-6's propeller, right main wheel, and lower cowling. The glider continued the left bank and landed safely. The RV-6 was seen to make a steep right bank and fly towards the northwest. The pilot of the RV-6 transmitted a distress call on the UNICOM frequency. Witnesses then observed the RV-6 to make a steep left turn, stall, and impact a lake near the runway threshold.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the RV-6, N194JP, was crossing over the airport at traffic pattern altitude (6,100 feet msl, 812 feet agl) en route to Englewood, Colorado. The pilot of the glider, N103LM, was approaching the airport at pattern altitude and was getting ready to turn onto the downwind leg. The front seat passenger in the glider yelled that there was an approaching airplane directly in front. The pilot of the glider made a steep left bank and deployed his dive brakes in an evasive maneuver. According to witnesses, the glider's right wing tip struck the approaching RV-6's propeller, right main wheel, and lower cowling. The glider continued the left bank and landed safely. The RV-6 was seen to make a steep right bank and fly towards the northwest. The pilot of the RV-6 transmitted a distress call on the UNICOM frequency. Witnesses then observed the RV-6 to make a steep left turn, stall, and impact a lake near the runway threshold.
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 for the amateur-built RV-6 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 318 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 294 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 90 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1996; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V2 Longmont CO at 8:40 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:46 pm from BJC, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Burkhart Grob G103C TWIN III ACRO from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,698 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 6,532 as pilot in command; 1,381 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,893 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 30, 1996; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,323 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8R, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
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.