Amateur-built IV accident near Alpine, Wyoming, June 30, 2025
On June 30, 2025 at about 5:11 pm local time, a 1996 amateur-built IV, registered N124GH, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Alpine, Wyoming (Alpine airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of visual reference during the landing approach which resulted in a collision with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2025 · about 5:11 pm local time
- Place
- Alpine, Wyoming · Alpine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built IV, built 1996
- Registration
- N124GH · registry record · serial LIV-115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the airplane at an airport that was located on a lake peninsula. He reported that during the landing approach, he misjudged his altitude over the water, and the airplane struck the water short of the runway threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), nor did he respond to a follow up request for an interview. His account of the accident was provided directly to law enforcement personnel shortly after accident.
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
- Loss of visual reference during approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Visual illusion/disorientation › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EVW Evanston WY at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13/3, 5,827 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 am from KAFO, 29 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAFO 301715Z AUTO 32004KT 10SM CLR 22/06 A3031 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 15, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bonneville County Sheriff Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N124GH 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 WPR25LA201.