Game Composites GB1 GAMEBIRD N786AE

Summary

On 4 July 2024 at about 23:25 local time, a Game Composites GB1 GAMEBIRD registered N786AE, operated by Gamebird West LLC, was involved in an accident near Irwin, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

4 July 2024 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Irwin, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Alpine (46U)

Coordinates

43.1812, -111.0619

Aircraft

Game Composites GB1 GAMEBIRD

Registration

N786AE

Category

Airplane

Year built

2021

Engines

1

Operator

Gamebird West LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Alpine → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR24FA225

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On July 4, 2024, about 1725 mountain daylight time, a Game Composites LLC GB1 Gamebird, N786AE, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Irwin, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot of another airplane, he and the accident pilot were practicing an aerobatic formation flight for a future airshow within an aerobatic practice area just west of Alpine Airport (46U), Alpine, Wyoming. After completing the formation flight, the pilot maneuvered his airplane away from the aerobatic box while the accident pilot completed solo aerobatic maneuvers. Witnesses located on the Palisades Reservoir observed the airplane perform a series of solo aerobatic maneuvers. On the last series, they saw the airplane fly nearly vertical, with aerobatic smoke on, where it performed a tight, pivoting turn, to a vertical descent. Immediately after, the airplane entered a flat spin maneuver. After multiple revolutions, the airplane entered a nose low dive, and impacted the water. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the Palisades Reservoir and came to rest inverted in about 10 ft of water about 1 mile west off the departure end of runway 31 at 46U. Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed that all major components were accounted for. The wreckage was relocated to a secure facility for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.