# Accident 20011209035679A: Amtr RV6A, Comfort, TX, December 9, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 9, 2001, 14:30 local time - Place: Comfort, TX - Airport: Comfort Airpark Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.9704° N, 98.9005° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9704&lon=-98.9005&mi=10 - Aircraft: N61AZ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61AZ-2013-05-23) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Heard J H RV-6A (registry code 05610OY, https://openairdocs.org/model/heard-j-h-rv-6a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-360-A1D (registry code 41504, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR RV6A - Reported engine: LYC O360A1D - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 435 total, 26 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA050) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011209035679A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON DECEMBER 9, 2001, AT 1430 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A HEARD RV-6A, EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE, N61AZ, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A HARD LANDING AT THE PRIVATE GRASS AIRSTRIP NEAR COMFORT, TEXAS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SONORA, TEXAS, APPROXIMATELY 1330. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE LANDING/FLARE ON RUNWAY 32, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED DURING THE TOUCHDOWN ON THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER, SLID, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE VERTICAL STABILIZED AND RUDDER WERE CRUSHED. THE FUSELAGE WAS WRINKLED AND THE CANOPY DESTROYED. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 3 TO 4 KNOTS. (-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON DECEMBER 9, 2001, AT 2:30 P.M., PIC HENRY R. MCKA Y HAD A HARD LANDING AT THE COMFORT AIRPORT, PRIVATE GRASS STRIP, IN COMFORT, TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND CAME BACK DOWN AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE RUNWAY. PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL STABILIZERS, FUSELAGE, PROPELLER, AND NOSE LANDING GEAR. NO FIRES NOTED. (.4) ON DECEMBER 9, 2001, AT 1430 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A HEARD RV-6A, EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, N61AZ, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING ON RUNWAY 32 AT THE COMFORT AIRPARK AIRPORT, COMFORT, TEXAS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SONORA, TEXAS, APPROXIMATELY 1330. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN ON THE GRASS RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE D, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 3 TO 4 KNOTS. THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, STATED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT FAILED "DUE TO AN EXCESSIVE AFT-WARD FORCE OCCURRING ON FINAL TOUCHDOWN LOCATION." THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER WERE CRUSHED. THE FUSELAGE WAS WRINKLED AND THE CANOPY DESTROYED. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT. A 5-POINT RESTRAINT SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE. ON THE PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT (NTSB FORM 6120.1/2), IN THE RECOMMENDATION (HOW COULD THIS ACCIDENT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED) SECTION, THE PILOT WROTE: "REDESIGNED AND STRONGER NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY." ## 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 FTW02LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA050), Dec 9, 2001: Heard RV-6A (N61AZ), Comfort, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the nose landing gear. 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.