HOFFMAN RV-4
Bullhead City, AZ — April 20, 2013
Event Information
| Date | April 20, 2013 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | WPR13LA203 |
| Event ID | 20130420X22041 |
| Location | Bullhead City, AZ |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 35.16167, -114.55889 |
| Airport | Bullhead City Airport |
| Highest Injury | FATL |
Aircraft
| Make | HOFFMAN |
| Model | RV-4 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 1 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 1 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s suicidal act.
Full Narrative
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.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.