NTSB Identification: WPR13LA203
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, April 20, 2013 in Bullhead City, AZ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/29/2013
Aircraft: HOFFMAN RV-4, registration: N194BD
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The wreckage was located on airport property in the early morning hours having crashed under unknown circumstances. There were no witnesses to the accident. The medical examiner determined that the pilot died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and the manner of death was determined to be suicide.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s suicidal act.
On April 20, 2013, between 0600 and 0720 mountain standard time, an experimental amateur built Hoffman RV-4, N194BD, crashed at Bullhead City Airport (IFP), Bullhead City, Arizona. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound; the airplane sustained substantial damage by impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Cottonwood, Arizona, sometime after 0600 with an unknown destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed
Airport personnel from IFP reported that during an airport safety sweep about 0720, they found the crashed airplane between the runway and the taxiway. They reported it was not present during the previous sweep at 0430. There were no identified witnesses to the airplane impact.
A witness at Cottonwood Airport (P52), Cottonwood, reported that he heard what he believed to be N194BD depart sometime after 0600. He further stated the airplane was observed at the airport on Friday night.
On April 22, 2013, the Mohave County medical examiner performed an autopsy on the pilot. It was determined that the pilot died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The manner of death was determined to be suicide.
NTSB Identification: WPR13LA203
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, April 20, 2013 in Bullhead City, AZ
Aircraft: HOFFMAN RV-4, registration: N194BD
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On April 20, 2013, between 0600 and 0720 mountain standard time, an experimental amateur built Hoffman RV-4, N194BD, crashed at Bullhead City Airport (IFP), Bullhead City, Arizona. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound; the airplane sustained substantial damage by impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Cottonwood, Arizona, sometime after 0600 with an unknown destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Airport personnel from IFP reported that during an airport safety sweep about 0720, they found the crashed airplane between the runway and the taxiway. They reported it was not present during the previous sweep at 0430. There were no identified witnesses to the airplane impact.
A witness at Cottonwood Airport (P52), Cottonwood, reported that he heard what he believed to be N194BD depart sometime after 0600. He further stated the airplane was observed at the airport on Friday night.
On April 22, 2013, the Mohave County medical examiner performed an autopsy on the pilot. It was determined that the pilot died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The manner of death was determined to be suicide.
Thomas Joseph Courtesy Gordon Goddard, Airport Photographer
The airport near the Colorado River is not staffed overnight, but when crew members arrived early Saturday morning, they found a small experimental aircraft had crashed between the runway and a parallel taxiway, according to Airport Director David Gaines.
Gaines said he was uncertain of the exact time of the crash, reporting that at 7:20 a.m. Saturday, the aircraft was discovered by a duty aircraft rescue firefighter at the airport.
The RV-4 is a kit-built two-seater based manufactured in Aurora, Ore., by Van's Aircraft with more than 1300 completed and flown. Joseph kept his RV-4 at the Cottonwood Airport.
Monday afternoon an autopsy was completed on the dead pilot and it was reported that he did not die from the plane crash, but rather a self-inflicted gunshot before the plane crashed. The Mohave County medical examiner determined that Tom Joseph killed himself before the plane crashed, according to Bullhead City Police Spokeswoman Emily Frommelt.
FAA inspectors arrive and began the investigation into the crash.
Source: http://verdenews.com
BULLHEAD CITY, Arizona — Authorities say a man flying an experimental plane fatally shot himself moments before the plane crashed at a northwestern Arizona airport.
Bullhead City police on Monday identified the pilot as 44-year-old Thomas Joseph. They say he lived in Yavapai County, but his hometown wasn't immediately released.
Police say an autopsy showed Thomas died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Authorities say he was the only person aboard the plane that crashed about 7:30 a.m. Saturday near the runway at Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport near the Arizona-Nevada border.
Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
Information from: Mohave Valley Daily News, http://www.mohavedailynews.com
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