# Accident 19990506030359A: Amtr RV6A, Truth Or Conseq, NM, May 6, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 6, 1999, 11:45 local time - Place: Truth Or Conseq, NM - Airport: Truth Or Conseqences Municipal Arp - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.1299° N, 107.2401° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1299&lon=-107.2401&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8117Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8117Q-2006-07-05) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Davis Marland E RV-6A (registry code 056066V, https://openairdocs.org/model/davis-marland-e-rv-6a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR RV6A - Reported engine: LYC O320D1A - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 947 total, 3 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA073) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990506030359A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.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. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DEN99LA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA073), May 6, 1999: Davis RV-6A (N8117Q), Truth Or Cnsqnc, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: A soft runway surface that caused the airplane to nose over. ## Other reports on N8117Q (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20060419012209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060419012209A), Apr 19, 2006: Amtr RV6A (N8117Q), Live Oak, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 19, 2006, at approximately 1345 local EDT, an experimental amateur built RV-6A, N8117Q, registered to the pilot [privacy data omitted] attempted… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.