Event WPR13LA203

Factual 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. The wreckage was located on airport property in the early morning hours having crashed under unknown circumstances. There were no witnesses to the accident. The medical examiner determined that the pilot died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and the manner of death was determined to be suicide. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Miscellaneous-Intentional act-Suicide-Pilot - C