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20030620012699A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr RV-8 · Grants Pass, OR · June 20, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 20, 2003 · 14:12 local
Place
Grants Pass, OR
Airport
Josephine County/Grants Pass
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N863Y
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA03FA110
Reported as
Amtr RV8
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
5,380 total
N863YRegistration cancelled Sep 19, 2013 · Harshbarger W/Reed F RV-8S/N 80259Airframe modelHarshbarger W/Reed F RV-8Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The aircraft had not been operated for about one year. Mr. Reed worked on it the week of 6/15/2003 to prepare it to sell. Mrs. Reed reported that Mr. Reed topped off the fuel tanks on 6/18/2003 and taxied and performed engine power checks on 6/18/2003 thru 6/20/2003. Mr. Reed operated N863Y on 6/20/2003. After take-off Mr. Reed reported, by radio communications, that at down wind the engine was having problems. The next radio communications Mr. Reed reported that he was not going to make it to the runway. The last communication Mr. Reed reported that he was going to set it down on a flat spot (a field just short of the runway). N863Y impacted the ground 1/4 mile short of the runway. N863Y hit two adjacent trees and wings departed the aircraft and then impacted brush and the ground. Mr. Reed was found deceased. Mr. Reed was not wearing his shoulder harness. Mr. Reed struck his head against the instrument panel at impact. Mr. Reed's aircraft flight time is unknown and his regulatory check ride date is unknown. (-23 amendment) Mr. Reed's aircraft hours in make/model and the last 90 days flight time in unknown and his regulatory check ride date is unknown.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN OPERATED FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR. MR. REED WORKED ON IT THE WEEK OF 6/15/2003 TO PREPARE IT TO SELL. MRS. REED REPORTED THAT MR. REED TOPPED OFF THE FUEL TANKS ON 6/18/2003 AND TAXIED AND PERFORMED ENGINE POWER CHECKS ON 6/18/2003 THRU 6/20/2003. MR. REED OPERATED N863Y ON 6/20/2003. AFTER TAKE-OFF MR. REED REPORTED, BY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS, THAT AT DOWN WIND THE ENGINE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS. THE NEXT RADIO COMMUNICATIONS MR. REED REPORTED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY. THE LAST COMMUNICATION MR. REED REPORTED THAT HE WAS GOING TO SET IT DOWN ON A FLAT SPOT (A FIELD JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY). N863Y IMPACTED THE GROUND 1/4 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. N863Y HIT TWO ADJACENT TREES AND WINGS DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND THEN IMPACTED BRUSH AND THE GROUND. MR. REED WAS FOUND DECEASED. MR. REED WAS NOT WEARING HIS SHOULDER HARNESS. MR. REED STRUCK HIS HEAD AGAINST THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AT IMPACT. MR. REED'S AIRCRAFT FLIGHT TIME IS UNKNOWN AND HIS REGULATORY CHECK RIDE DATE IS UNKNOWN. (-23 AMENDMENT) MR. REED'S AIRCRAFT HOURS IN MAKE/MODEL AND THE LAST 90 DAYS FLIGHT TIME IN UNKNOWN AND HIS REGULATORY CHECK RIDE DATE IS UNKNOWN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA03FA110Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportGrants Pass, ORCorrosion and contamination within the fuel servo unit and the pilot's delayed turn back to the runway. Contributing factors were trees and the pilot's impairment due to prescription medication.Jun 20, 2003 · Substantial damage