# Accident 20140521006749A: Lauritsen Ralph M RV 4, Rockwell City, IA, May 21, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 21, 2014, 11:00 local time
- Place: Rockwell City, IA
- Airport: Rockwell City Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.3878° N, 94.6186° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3878&lon=-94.6186&mi=10
- Aircraft: N50036, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N50036) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lauritsen Ralph M RV 4 (registry code 05608BN, https://openairdocs.org/model/lauritsen-ralph-m-rv-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LAURITSEN RALPH M RV 4
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 137 total, 24 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14CA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA264) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140521006749A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 30 AT ROCKWELL CITY, IA (2Y4).  THE REPORTED WIND AT THE NEAREST  REPORTING AIRPORT, FORT DODGE, IA, WAS 360 AT 9KTS GUSTING TO 14 KNOTS.  DURING THE LANDING FLARE THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT GOT HIGH AND THE PILOT PUSHED THE STICK FORWARD CAUSING THE PROPELLER TO IMPACT THE RUNWAY.  THE IMPACT DAMAGED THE FIREWALL AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR.  THERE WERE MARKS ON THE RUNWAY AND THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT INDICATING THE LEFT WING MADE THE INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.  THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT 0R PASSENGER.

## 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 CEN14CA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA264), May 21, 2014: Lauritsen Ralph M RV 4 (N50036), Rockwell City, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.

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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