# Accident 20050605018959A: Amtr RV8, Canandaigua, NY, June 5, 2005 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 5, 2005, 08:00 local time - Place: Canandaigua, NY - Airport: Canandaigua Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.9069° N, 77.3214° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9069&lon=-77.3214&mi=10 - Aircraft: N61TW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61TW-2023-06-17) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Weiss Theodore T RV-8 (registry code 05617TU, https://openairdocs.org/model/weiss-theodore-t-rv-8) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR RV8 - Reported engine: LYC IO360C1C6 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,400 total, 69 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD05LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05LA072) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050605018959A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2005 AT 0800 EST, A VAN'S RV-8 AIRCRAFT BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N61TW AND REGISTERED TO THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMIT^ DEPARTED RUNWAY 31 AT THE CANANDAIGUA AIRPORT (D38) LOCATED IN CANANDAIGUA, NY ON A LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT TO OSWEGO COUNTY AIRPORT IN FULTON, NY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD ARRANGED TO FLY HIS RV-8 AIRCRAFT, WHICH HE HIMSELF HAD CONSTRUCTED, FROM THE CANANDAIGUA AIRPORT (WHERE THE AIRCRAFT IS BASED) TO THE OSWEGO COUNTY AIRPORT LOCATED IN FULTON, NY. HE HAD INVITED A FRIEND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO JOIN HIM ON THIS FLIGHT. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS PLEASURE; HE AND ^PRIVACY DATA^ PLANNED TO ATTEND THE FLY-IN BREAKFAST THAT MORNING AT THE OSWEGO COUNTY AIRPORT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ STATED THAT THE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NORMAL WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. HE ADDED THAT THERE WERE 8 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE AND THAT THE FUEL WAS FULL IN THE LEFT AUXILIARY TANK, 17 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS IN THE LEFT MAIN TANK, THE RIGHT AUXILIARY TANK NEARLY FULL (PERHAPS ONE GALLON LESS THAN CAPACITY) AND THE RIGHT MAIN TANK CONTAINED 16 GALLONS OF FUEL. HE TAXIED OUT TO THE RUNWAY, PERFORMED A NORMAL RUN-UP, CYCLED THE PROPELLER TWICE, PULLED ONTO RUNWAY 31 ALIGNING THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE CENTERLINE, SET THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO AND BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL WITH "0" DEGREES OF FLAPS. HE EXPLAINED THAT ALL HIS TAKEOFFS ARE EXECUTED WITH "0" FLAPS AND THAT HE ONLY USES FLAPS FOR LANDING. HE ALSO STATED THAT ALL TAKEOFFS ARE COMPLETED WITH NEUTRAL ELEVATOR TRIM. THE PILOT WAS PROVIDED WITH A DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPH (PRINTED IN BLACK AND WHITE). THIS PHOTO DEPICTED THE ELECTRIC ELEVATOR TRIM CONTROL INDICATOR (LOCATED ON THE FRONT INSTRUMENT PANEL). THIS INDICATOR DISPLAYS 10 LED'S STACKED IN A VERTICAL PROFILE; THE CURRENT TRIM SETTING IS REPRESENTED BY A SINGLE ILLUMINATED LED. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ WAS ASKED TO POINT TO THE SETTING HE NORMALLY USES. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ INDICATED THAT HE NORMALLY SETS THE TRIM IN A RANGE REPRESENTED BY LED'S LOCATED EITHER 4, 5 OR 6 UNITS FROM THE BOTTOM. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENERGIZED AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, LED UNIT NUMBER 7 WAS ILLUMINATED INDICATING A SLIGHTLY NOSE-UP TRIM SETTING. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ STATED THAT THE ENGINE PERFORMED NORMALLY. HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY POWERPLANT ANOMALIES EITHER BEFORE OR DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. IN FACT, HE STATED, "EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT WITH THE ENGINE." ACCORDING TO THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL, POWER MUST BE GRADUALLY ADDED TO HELP WITH DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ROLL. ADDING FULL POWER TOO RAPIDLY MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. HE STATED THAT SHORTLY BEFORE REACHING ROTATION SPEED OF 60 KNOTS, THE THROTTLE CONTROL WAS AT THE FULL FORWARD POSITION. ALSO, THE ROTATION OCCURRED AFTER THE TAILWHEEL WAS RAISED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUPPORTED ON THE MAIN WHEELS. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ STATED THIS WAS THE NORMAL TAKEOFF PROCEDURE AND THE RAISING OF THE TAIL NORMALLY OCCURS VERY QUICKLY, BUT HE STATED THAT THIS TOOK A LITTLE LONGER SINCE HE HAD A PASSENGER IN THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ HAD MADE WITH A PASSENGER IN THE AIRCRAFT. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ COULD NOT BE CERTAIN, AT THE TIME OF ROTATION OR JUST SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT PULL HARD TO THE LEFT. IN FACT, HE FELT "A BUMP", AS IF THE AIRCRAFT HAD STRUCK SOMETHING ON THE SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY, OR STRUCK A RUNWAY LIGHT. HE INDICATED IT FELT AS THOUGH THE "LEFT BRAKE HAD LOCKED." NO EVIDENCE OF DEBRIS OR DAMAGE TO RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTING WAS DISCOVERED AT THE SCENE. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ FELT THE AIRCRAFT PITCH UP MORE AGGRESSIVELY THAN HE WAS ACCUSTOMED. HE THEN APPLIED FULL DOWN ELEVATOR BUT FELT THE NOSE WOULD NOT COME DOWN. AS THE AIRCRAFT THEN PITCHED OVER, HE OBSERVED THE GROUND APPROACHING AND APPLIED FULL BACK ELEVATOR TO PREVENT THE AIRCRAFT FROM "GOING OVER". HE RECALLS THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTING TERRAIN IN A LEVEL PITCH ATTITUDE. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, HE IMMEDIATELY EXITED AND ASSISTED THE PASSENGER EXIT THE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE HE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A POST-CRASH FIRE. HE THEN REMEMBERED EXPERIENCING SHARP PAINS IN HIS LOWER BACK AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE PILOT WAS TREATED AT THE LOCAL HOSPITAL WITH A FRACTURED L-2 VERTEBRAE. THE PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. (-23 AMENDMENT) ON JUNE 13, 2005 AT 0800 HOURS, INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) ROCHESTER, NY FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE COMPLETED AN IN-DEPTH EXAMINATION OF THE RV-8 AIRCRAFT BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N61TW. ASSISTING IN THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRA FT WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ A MEMBER OF THE LOCAL EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION (EAA), A PILOT AND RV BUILDER. ACCORDING TO ^PRIVACY DATA^ HE HAS CONSTRUCTED 6 RV AIRCRAFT AND HAS FLIGHT TIME IN AN RV-8. ^PRIVACY DATA ^ THE OWNER AND PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL AND WAS PRESENT DURING THE EXAMINATION. FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL OF THE FRONT AND REAR FOAM SEATS, AN EXAMINATION OF THE CABIN AREA REVEALED THAT A 50 OZ GLASS BOTTLE BEARING AN APPLE JUICE LABEL WAS DISCOVERED UNDER THE FRONT SEAT, JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE FORWARD CONTROL STICK. FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ STATED THAT HE USES THE BOTTLE AS A RELIEF CONTAINER AND THAT THE BOTTLE IS NORMALLY LOCATED IN THE LEFT FOOT WELL FOR THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT. HOWEVER THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ WAS REMINDED THAT HE HAD A PASSENGER OCCUPYING THE REAR SEAT DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ WAS UNSURE OF THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE BOTTLE BEFORE TAKEOFF, BUT SUGGESTED THAT HE MAY HAVE SET THE BOTTLE ON THE LEDGE JUST AFT OF THE FUEL CONTROL PANEL LOCATED NEAR HIS LEFT KNEE. CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE BOTTLE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS SEVERAL IMPACT MARKS PRESENT ON THE ALUMINUM CAP OF THE BOTTLE. WHEN SHOWN TO THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ HE EXPLAINED, "THOSE WERE NOT THERE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT." ALTHOUGH NO OBVIOUS "MATCHING" MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE FORWARD CONTROL STICK, THERE WERE ABRASIONS TO THE POWDER COATING NEAR THE BASE OF THE FORWARD CONTROL STICK. A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE RUDDER PEDALS REVEALED AN INK PEN LODGED UNDER THE RIGHT RUDDER BAR. A CHECK OF THE RUDDER SYSTEM DEMONSTRATED THAT MORE FORCE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REQUIRED FOR RIGHT RUDDER INPUT WHEN COMPARED TO LEFT RUDDER INPUT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ IDENTIFIED THE PEN AS ONE THAT HE KEPT IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ STATED THAT HE NORMALLY STORES PENS ON THE SHELF ADJACENT TO HIS RIGHT KNEE. THESE PENS WERE NOT SECURED. ## 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 IAD05LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05LA072), Jun 5, 2005: Weiss Vans RV-8 (N61TW), Canandaigua, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: Partial blocking of the flight controls by unsecured items in the cockpit, which resulted in a loss of control during takeoff. ## Other reports on N61TW (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20230108002319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230108002319A), Jan 8, 2023: Weiss Theodore T RV-8 (N61TW), Ridgeland, SC, Substantial damage. Eon-dra message text: Ridgeland, SC (3J1): [privacy data omitted]experimental, crashed for unknown reasons while attempting to land runway 18. Aircraft was… 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.