# Accident 20100523044109A: Gardner Dou VAN/RV8A, Sebring, FL, May 23, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2010, 09:42 local time
- Place: Sebring, FL
- Airport: Sebring Regional
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.5000° N, 81.4000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.5000&lon=-81.4000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N456DG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N456DG-2013-05-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Gardner Douglas P VAN/RV8A (registry code 05621PX, https://openairdocs.org/model/gardner-douglas-p-van-rv8a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (registry code 41594, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a1a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GARDNER DOU VAN/RV8A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360-A1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 202 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA280) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100523044109A

## Narrative

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

APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM I RECEIVED A CALL IN REFERENCE TO A PLANE CRASH IN HIGHLANDS COUNTY, SEBRING FL. DURING MY INVESTIGATION I DETECTED NO ODOR OF FUEL AND OBSERVED NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE, ODD DUE TO THE FEROCITY OF THE CRASH AND AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. THE SCENE WAS APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE ROADWAY. THE CRASH LEFT A CRATER IN THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY TWELVE FEET LONG NORTH TO SOUTH AND EIGHT FEET WIDE EAST TO WEST BY THREE FEET DEEP. IT APPEARS THAT THE RIGHT WING HAD STRUCK THE GROUND FIRST, FORCING THE NOSE TO IMPAIL INTO THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO COLLAPSE & ROLL OVER ONTO ITSELF, THE TAIL FOLDED TOWARD THE NOSE AND CAME TO A REST 150 FEET FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT UP AGAINST AN ORANGE TREE. ONCE THIS HAPPENED IT CAUSED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT TO CRUSH & SPLIT. DEBRIS ENCOMPASSED AN AREA OF ABOUT 360 FEET AWAY TOWARDS THE SOUTH. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE UPSIDE DOWN & FACING TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST. THE PROPELLER REMAINED A THE POINT OF IMPACT AND THE ENGINE BECAME DISLODGED AND OFF TO THE RIGHT OF THE WREAKAGE. IT HAS BEEN INDICATED THAT A FLIGHT OF SIX LEFT FROM LINDER AIRFIELD,FL TRAVELING TO SEBRING,FL. FIVE OF WHICH HAD BEEN REPORTED AS LANDED, HOWEVER THE TOWER INDICATED IT HAD NOT HEARD FROM THE SIXTH AIRCRAFT N456DG, OTHER THAN OCCASIONAL TALK WITHIN THE GROUP, THE TOWER CLAIMED THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL RADIO TRAFFIC NOR A DISTRESS CALL, AND IT APPEARED ALL INDICATIONS SHOWED THE DECEDENTS DESIRED LANDING WAS ENTERING FROM THE WEST. RECORDS SHOW HIS LOCATION WAS 10 MILES TO THE NORTH. TOWER REPORTS ALSO SHOW THAT ANOTHER TWIN ENGINE PLANE WAS ALSO APPROACHING FROM THE WEST AND RADAR DATA SHOWS NO INICIDENT OR THREAT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE CRASHING WAS FLYING SOUTH/SOUTHWEST, WAS OBSERVED AS FLYING VERY LOW AND WHAT SOUNDED LIKE MOVING AT A SLOWER SPEED. FURTHER INFORMATION CLAIMS THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN DISTRESS, DUE TO A SUDDEN ACCELERATION, ANOTHER TERM USED WAS LIKE A CAR BACKFIRING, THEN HEARING A LOUD BOOM SOUND. A MEMBER OF THE GROUP MADE MENTION THAT THE DECEDENT SELF FUELED AND RECORDS IMMEDIATELY WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO STATE OTHERWISE. THE ENGINE SEVERLY DAMAGED FROM IMPACT WAS PARTIALLY EXAMINED WITHIN ALLOWABLE LIMITS. AT CONCLUSION OF THE ENGINE TEARDOWN DEEMED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR DEFICIENCY WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ENGINE FROM DEVELOPING POWER PRIOR TO THE MISHAP.

## 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 ERA10LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA280), May 23, 2010: Gardner Douglas P VAN/RV8A (N456DG), Sebring, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing approach.

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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