Aero Vodochody L-39 accident near Boulder City, Nevada, May 18, 2012
On May 18, 2012 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1981 Aero Vodochody L-39, registered N39WT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder City, Nevada (Boulder City Municipal Airport). It was a business 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 in-flight emergency followed by a collision with terrain for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and forward and aft canopies revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2012 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder City, Nevada · Boulder City Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Vodochody L-39, built 1981 · all L-39s on the register
- Registration
- N39WT · no longer on the register · serial 132127
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arrival at the airport, the pilots of the accident airplane and of another airplane flying at the same time briefed the passengers on what to expect during their adventure flight, and they subsequently began the first of four planned flights. The first two flights were uneventful. The accident occurred during the third flight of the day. A review of the UNICOM radio communications revealed that, shortly after the airplanes took off, the accident pilot announced, "canopy, canopy." The lead airplane pilot asked the accident pilot if he was heading back; the accident pilot's response could not be understood. The accident airplane subsequently made a right descending turn and impacted a berm in desert terrain at a high descent rate and then bounced about 200 feet before coming to rest about a 1/2 mile from the airport. The airplane came to rest between two sets of power lines next to an access road. First responders to the accident site reported that both of the airplane's canopies were closed and that the engine remained running for about 20 minutes before it shut down on its own. A postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, and forward and aft canopies revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. If one of the canopies had somehow become displaced, the canopy illumination warning light would have activated, and the pilot should have followed the emergency procedures, which state, in part, to land as soon as practical, and likely would have been able to control the airplane and land. The reason for the pilot's radio transmission about the canopy and his initiation of a right descending turn could be determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,900 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,459.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 2012
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ivchenko AL-25TL (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Mach 1 Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BVU Boulder City NV at 8:00 pm
- Destination: BVU Boulder City NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from BVU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 WPR12FA216.