# Accident 20030620012699A: Amtr RV8, Grants Pass, OR, June 20, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 20, 2003, 14:12 local time
- Place: Grants Pass, OR
- Airport: Josephine County/Grants Pass
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.4997° N, 123.3769° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4997&lon=-123.3769&mi=10
- Aircraft: N863Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N863Y-2013-09-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Harshbarger W/Reed F RV-8 (registry code 05607WV, https://openairdocs.org/model/harshbarger-w-reed-f-rv-8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR RV8
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 5,380 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA03FA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03FA110) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030620012699A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## 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 SEA03FA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03FA110), Jun 20, 2003: Harshbarger W/Reed RV-8 (N863Y), Grants Pass, OR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Corrosion 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.

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.

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