Gay RV-4 N29PG

Summary

On 8 January 1995 at about 22:00 local time, a Gay RV-4 registered N29PG was involved in an accident near Lennox, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 January 1995 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lennox, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

43.3491, -96.8902

Aircraft

Gay RV-4

Registration

N29PG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sioux Falls → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95DTK01

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO DRUGS WAS A FACTOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING LOW ALTITUDE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. RADAR TRACKING DATA, AVAILABLE ABOVE AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX 800 FT AGL, ALSO SHOWS A VFR TARGET CONDUCTING LOW ALTITUDE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION. THE AIRPLANE HAD COME TO REST 132 FT FROM THE FIRST IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS REVEALED 0.031 UG/ML BROMPHENIRAMINE AND 0.012 UG/ML DIPHENHYDRAMINE IN THE BLOOD SPECIMEN. THERAPEUTIC LEVELS ARE 0.016-0.070 AND 0.100 RESPECTIVELY. BROMPHENIRAMINE AND DIPHENHYDRAMINE (ANTIHISTAMINES) ARE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS IN MANY NONPRESCRIPTION COLD AND ALLERGY MEDICATIONS, AND CAN CAUSE DROWSINESS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.