# Accident 20140927017079A: Butcher Russell A RV9A, Shepherd, TX, September 27, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 27, 2014, 16:40 local time
- Place: Shepherd, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.4711° N, 94.9128° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4711&lon=-94.9128&mi=10
- Aircraft: N809RD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N809RD-2018-03-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Butcher Russell A RV9A (registry code 05626MO, https://openairdocs.org/model/butcher-russell-a-rv9a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-320-E2B (registry code 42121, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e2b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BUTCHER RUSSELL A RV9A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-320-E2B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 750 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA527](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA527) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140927017079A

## Narrative

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

THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A PERSONAL FLIGHT IN VMC AT HIS  HOME AIRPORT WITH A FRIEND ON BOARD. HE MADE SEVERAL APPROACHES OVER THE RUNWAY FOR FRIENDS ON THE GROUND TO WATCH. LAST APPROACH TO LAND WAS FROM THE EAST. AIRCRAFT WAS HEARD BUT NOT SEEN IMPACTING THE TREES APPROX. 500 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD.

ON SITE INVESTIGATION THE NEXT MORNING SHOWED THE AIRPLANE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AFTER  IMPACTING A GROUP OF TREES ALONG THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE AND APPROX. 500 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD.

THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TREES INVERTED. THE RIGHT WING IMPACTED A TREE AT APPROX. 25 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE TAIL AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS IMPACTED ANOTHER TREE AT A SLIGHTLY HIGHER HEIGHT.  BOTH WINGS AND THE EMPENNAGE SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE DURING THE IMPACTS. AFTER STRIKING THE TREES, THE AIRPLANE THEN CONTINUED DOWN THROUGH THE TREE BRANCHES SEPARATING SEVERAL PIECES OF THE AIRPLANE.  THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED NO MORE THAN 60 TO 70 FEET ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH OF APPROX. 290 DEGREES MAGNETIC SCATTERING SMALL PIECES OF THE AIRPLANE BEFORE BURROWING THE NOSE COWL AND THE ENGINE INTO THE GROUND.

PAPERWORK FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE SHOWED THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE AND AN EXPIRED SECOND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. HIS LAST FLIGHT REVIEW WAS ON 08-14-2014. THE AIRCRAFT HAD A PROPER AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND LIMITATION ASSOCIATED WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT AND A CURRENT AND VALID REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE.

## 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 CEN14LA527](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA527), Sep 27, 2014: Butcher Russell A RV9A (N809RD), Shepherd, TX, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of airplane control during the landing approach after a loss of engine power, which led to a collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate…

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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