# Accident 20040617010999A: Amtr RV9A, The Sea Ranch, CA, June 17, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 17, 2004, 12:40 local time
- Place: The Sea Ranch, CA
- Airport: The Sea Ranch Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.7047° N, 123.4325° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7047&lon=-123.4325&mi=10
- Aircraft: N93AZ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N93AZ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Martin Pierre MARTIN VAN RV-9A (registry code 056157Q, https://openairdocs.org/model/martin-pierre-martin-van-rv-9a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (registry code 42123, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e2d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR RV9A
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 160 total, 65 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04CA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA242) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040617010999A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT WHILE ATTEMPTING A SHORT FIELD LANDING ON A PRIVATE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, DURING HIS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30 THE WINDSOCK WAS LIMP. JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN A STRONG GUST OF WING CAUGHT HIS AIRCRAFT AND STARTED VEERING HIS AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO COMPENSATE FOR DRIFT WITH A HARD RIGHT AILERON AND RUDDER. PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING WAS DIPPED ABOUT 30 DEGREES LOW. PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR DRIFT. PILOT ATTEMPTED A GO AROUND AND APPLIED FULL POWER THEN RAISED THE AIRCRAFT FLAPS FROM 30-35 DEGREES TO 20 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT AT ABOUT 10 FEET STRUCK SOME TREES LINED UP ADJACENT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THIS WAS THE POINT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE CART WHEELED OFF OF THE TREES, AIRCRAFT NOSE IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST IN A VERTICAL POSITION NOSE TO EARTH LEANING AGAINST A TREE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD LINED UP FOR AN APPROACH ON RUNWAY 30. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY BASED ACROSS FROM THE AIRPORT AND WHOM RESPONDED TO THIS ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE WIND DIRECTION WAS BLOWING FROM THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AT 8 TO 10 KNOTS AND GUSTING.

## 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 LAX04CA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA242), Jun 17, 2004: Vans RV-9A (N93AZ), The Sea Ranch, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty crosswind conditions and failure to maintain proper runway alignment, resulting in a collision with trees.

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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