Event SEA90LA147

1990-07-27 RAWLINS, Wyoming, United States Airport · RWL Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N14004

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

AEROFAB INC LAKE LA-4-250

Year of manufacture

1984 · 6 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING IO 540 SER (260 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20200117

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A0A525

Registrant of record

GRUSENMEYER-SCOTT AVIATION LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N14004 Lake LA-250 Minor

Probable cause & findings

PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT'S CLIMB CAPABILITY IN CONDITIONS OF HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND UNANTICIPATED ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND RISING TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT OF THE LAKE AMPHIBIAN TOOK OFF AND TURNED TOWARD RISING TERRAIN, WHERE HE ANTICIPATED FINDING SLOPE LIFT, DUE TO THE PREVAILING WINDS. HE STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED SINK INSTEAD, AND HE HAD UNSUFFICIENT TERRAIN CLEARANCE TO MAKE A COURSE REVERSAL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 9070 FEET. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_SEA90LA147.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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