Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents
Learn from Colorado's accident history to fly safer in the Rockies
2310 Total Accidents
425 Fatal
816 Fatalities
1982-2026
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1 Fatal
BYERS, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On March 15, 1995, about 1406 mountain standard time, a home built BD5TP, N777TK, impacted in a field under unknown circumstances approximately four miles east of Byers, Colorado. The pilot sustained fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire. No flight plan was filed for this local area personal flight which originated from Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado, about 1215. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to available information gathered from relatives, the builder, the FAA, and persons at Front Range Airport, the pilot purchased the aircraft on February 21, 1995, from the builder and transported it by surface transportation from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Front Range Airport. At that time, an operating limitations document was in effect having been issued by the FAA Scottsdale Flight Standards District Office on May 16, 1994. The pilot made some modifications, including the installation of the remaining portions of a variable pitch propeller system, and conducted a taxi test on March 8, 1995. A second taxi test was conducted on March 9, 1995. During the second taxi test, the propeller inadvertently struck the ground damaging the tips of the two-bladed wooden propeller. The owner removed the propeller, repaired the tip damage, and reinstalled the propeller on the aircraft. The details of repair and rebalancing are unknown.
On March 10, 1995, an FAA designated airworthiness representative (DAR) issued a revised Amateur Built Phase 1 operating limitations document applicable to N777TK. A copy of the document is attached and limited the pilot to operate in a designated test area and restricted him from acrobatic maneuvers for a period of 15 flight hours. A statement by the DAR is also attached.
During a third planned taxi test on March 13, 1995, the aircraft inadvertently became airborne, and the pilot spent approximately one hour in the pattern with the landing gear down and the flaps set at 20 degrees.
On March 14, 1995, the pilot flew the first planned test flight for a duration of eight tenths of an hour. During this flight, on which the pilot remained in the pattern, the gear and flaps were retracted and a low pass (reported as 20 to 50 feet) down the runway was conducted at a reported airspeed of 170 mph. On March 15, 1995, a second test flight was conducted. About 1450, a rancher near Byers, went to a pasture to feed cattle and found the burned out remains of the aircraft, still smoldering. The pilot had apparently been ejected during impact and his body was located in the wreckage scatter pattern. The time of the accident is estimated to be at 1406 due to the pilot's watch having stopped at that time.
According to a witness who was located at Buckley Air National Guard Base northwest of Front Range Airport, between 1300 and 1330, he observed an aircraft, matching the description of the accident aircraft, doing what appeared to be wingover type m
On March 15, 1995, about 1406 mountain standard time, a home built BD5TP, N777TK, impacted in a field under unknown circumstances approximately four miles east of Byers, Colorado. The pilot sustained fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire. No flight plan was filed for this local area personal flight which originated from Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado, about 1215. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to available information gathered from relatives, the builder, the FAA, and persons at Front Range Airport, the pilot purchased the aircraft on February 21, 1995, from the builder and transported it by surface transportation from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Front Range Airport. At that time, an operating limitations document was in effect having been issued by the FAA Scottsdale Flight Standards District Office on May 16, 1994. The pilot made some modifications, including the installation of the remaining portions of a variable pitch propeller system, and conducted a taxi test on March 8, 1995. A second taxi test was conducted on March 9, 1995. During the second taxi test, the propeller inadvertently struck the ground damaging the tips of the two-bladed wooden propeller. The owner removed the propeller, repaired the tip damage, and reinstalled the propeller on the aircraft. The details of repair and rebalancing are unknown.
On March 10, 1995, an FAA designated airworthiness representative (DAR) issued a revised Amateur Built Phase 1 operating limitations document applicable to N777TK. A copy of the document is attached and limited the pilot to operate in a designated test area and restricted him from acrobatic maneuvers for a period of 15 flight hours. A statement by the DAR is also attached.
During a third planned taxi test on March 13, 1995, the aircraft inadvertently became airborne, and the pilot spent approximately one hour in the pattern with the landing gear down and the flaps set at 20 degrees.
On March 14, 1995, the pilot flew the first planned test flight for a duration of eight tenths of an hour. During this flight, on which the pilot remained in the pattern, the gear and flaps were retracted and a low pass (reported as 20 to 50 feet) down the runway was conducted at a reported airspeed of 170 mph. On March 15, 1995, a second test flight was conducted. About 1450, a rancher near Byers, went to a pasture to feed cattle and found the burned out remains of the aircraft, still smoldering. The pilot had apparently been ejected during impact and his body was located in the wreckage scatter pattern. The time of the accident is estimated to be at 1406 due to the pilot's watch having stopped at that time.
According to a witness who was located at Buckley Air National Guard Base northwest of Front Range Airport, between 1300 and 1330, he observed an aircraft, matching the description of the accident aircraft, doing what appeared to be wingover type m
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Details
| NTSB Report | FTW95FA134 |
| Aircraft | HINSHAW, KEITH T. BD5TP |
| Registration | N777TK |
| Damage | DEST |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 39.7095, -104.2203 |
