20090623016589A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr RV-6A · Cottonwood, AZ · June 23, 2009

Date: June 23, 2009 · 08:29 local
Place: Cottonwood, AZ
Airport: Cottonwood
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N413RV
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09LA308
Reported as: Amtr RV6A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 286 total9 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N413RVRegistration cancelled Mar 30, 2010 · Mayo Gene H RV-6AS/N 60117 · Built 2000 Airframe modelMayo Gene H RV-6A Engine 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) Aircraft departed from runway 32, Cottonwood Airport, climbing straight out. Shortly after takeoff, engine sputtered and appeared to lose power. Witnesses stated the engine came to life with a high-pitched noise. At the same time the nose of the aircraft pitched up. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft was observed in a near nose-vertical descent to the ground, impacting approximately 4 tenths of a mile from the end of runway 32. Both occupants were fatally injured on impact with the ground. There was no post-accident fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 32, COTTONWOOD AIRPORT, CLIMBING STRAIGHT OUT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, ENGINE SPUTTERED AND APPEARED TO LOSE POWER. WITNESSES STATED THE ENGINE CAME TO LIFE WITH A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE. AT THE SAME TIME THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED IN A NEAR NOSE-VERTICAL DESCENT TO THE GROUND, IMPACTING APPROXIMATELY 4 TENTHS OF A MILE FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 32. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED ON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO POST-ACCIDENT FIRE.

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 WPR09LA308Accident · 2 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportCottonwood, AZThe partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin.Jun 23, 2009 · Substantial damage