What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On may 6, 1999, approximately 0920 mountain daylight time, a davis' vans RV-6A, N8117Q, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Truth or consequences municipal airport, Truth or consequences, new Mexico. The commercial pilot and sole occupant sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the test flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated approximately 0900. A witnes told FAA officials that the pilot had made two previous landings on runway 13 (hard surface). His third approach was to runway 11 (dirt and gravel). The witness said the airplane was approximately 20 feet above the ground when he saw the nose pitch down abruptly. The pilot was able to recover, but the nose pitched down again. The right main landing gear sank in the soft sand and the airplane nosed over. (.4)this was the maiden flight of N8117Q. After testing the airplane for 3 hours, the pilot returned to the airport for landing. Although the wind was reported to be at 7 knots and favoring runway 13, the pilot was forced to abandon two landing approaches because of the turbulence. The airport UNICOM then reported the winds to be variable and favoring runway 11. The pilot made a 'smooth' landing on runway 11. The airplane rolled for about 40 or 50 feet, then nosed over when the nose landing gear sheared off. He said it felt like the brakes had been applied. Postaccident inspection of the runway revealed the landing gear had settled 6 to 7 inches into the soft sand. The tires on the RV-6A are only 3 inches wide and protrude about 3 inches below the wheel pants. 'Not good for a soft sand runway,' the pilot said. (-23)on may 6, 1999, approximately 0920 mountain daylight time, a davis' vans RV-6, N8117Q, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Truth or consequences municipal airport, Truth or consequences, new Mexico. The commerical pilot and sole occupant sustained minor inj uries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the test flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated approximately 0900.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON MAY 6, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 0920 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A DAVIS' VANS RV-6A, N8117Q, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE LANDING AT TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, NEW MEXICO. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE TEST FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 0900. A WITNES TOLD FAA OFFICIALS THAT THE PILOT HAD MADE TWO PREVIOUS LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 13 (HARD SURFACE). HIS THIRD APPROACH WAS TO RUNWAY 11 (DIRT AND GRAVEL). THE WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN HE SAW THE NOSE PITCH DOWN ABRUPTLY. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO RECOVER, BUT THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN AGAIN. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SANK IN THE SOFT SAND AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. (.4)THIS WAS THE MAIDEN FLIGHT OF N8117Q. AFTER TESTING THE AIRPLANE FOR 3 HOURS, THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING. ALTHOUGH THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE AT 7 KNOTS AND FAVORING RUNWAY 13, THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO ABANDON TWO LANDING APPROACHES BECAUSE OF THE TURBULENCE. THE AIRPORT UNICOM THEN REPORTED THE WINDS TO BE VARIABLE AND FAVORING RUNWAY 11. THE PILOT MADE A 'SMOOTH' LANDING ON RUNWAY 11. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED FOR ABOUT 40 OR 50 FEET, THEN NOSED OVER WHEN THE NOSE LANDING GEAR SHEARED OFF. HE SAID IT FELT LIKE THE BRAKES HAD BEEN APPLIED. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE RUNWAY REVEALED THE LANDING GEAR HAD SETTLED 6 TO 7 INCHES INTO THE SOFT SAND. THE TIRES ON THE RV-6A ARE ONLY 3 INCHES WIDE AND PROTRUDE ABOUT 3 INCHES BELOW THE WHEEL PANTS. 'NOT GOOD FOR A SOFT SAND RUNWAY,' THE PILOT SAID. (-23)ON MAY 6, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 0920 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A DAVIS' VANS RV-6, N8117Q, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE LANDING AT TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, NEW MEXICO. THE COMMERICAL PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED MINOR INJ URIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE TEST FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 0900.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8117Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.