# Accident 20160722013689A: Vans RV9A, Springfield, OH, July 22, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 22, 2016, 10:41 local time
- Place: Springfield, OH
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.8739° N, 83.6872° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8739&lon=-83.6872&mi=10
- Aircraft: N807LK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N807LK-2018-08-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Levon G King VANS RV9A (registry code 056337M, https://openairdocs.org/model/levon-g-king-vans-rv9a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Superior 0-320-D1A (registry code 59201, https://openairdocs.org/engine/superior-0-320-d1a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VANS RV9A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,362 total, 64 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA281) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160722013689A

## Narrative

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

N807LK WAS VFR ON A NORTHERLY HEADING AND COMMUNICATING WITH COLUMBUS ATC TRYING TO FLY AROUND INCOMING WEATHER,  AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A LINE OF SEVERE WEATHER HE WAS TRYING TO GET THROUGH AND ATC WAS ASSISTING HIM TO FIND HIS WAY AROUND THE WEATHER WHEN RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST.

AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED IN A CORNFIELD 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF SGH. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A HIGH ANGLE OF IMPACT WITH A LEFT SPIN AND A MODERATE AMOUNT OF SPEED, THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN ONE CENTRAL LOCATION WITH AN EJECTION FIELD EXPANDING OUT ABOUT 30 FEET. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FIRE OR SMOKE DAMAGE IN THE WRECKAGE. THE POLICE OFFICERS FIRST ON SCENE REPORTED A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. THE CONTROL PANEL, ENGINE, AND PROPELLER WERE SEPARATED AT THE POINT OF IMPACT. THE MOMENTUM AND TWISTING ACTION CAUSED THE FUSELAGE TO TRAVEL ABOUT 30 FEET BEYOND THE POINT OF IMPACT.

ALTHOUGH HEAVILY DAMAGED, BOTH L & R WINGS AND THE HORIZONTAL SECTION WERE WITH THE MAIN FUSELAGE WRECKAGE. THE FLAPS AND AILERONS FOR BOTH WINGS AND BOTH ELEVATORS WERE FOUND IN THE MAIN WRECKAGE AREA.  A SURVEY OF THE WRECKAGE DETERMINED THAT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER WERE NOT AMONG THE MAIN WRECKAGE AREA. A SEARCH OF THE IMMEDIATE AREA DID NOT INDICATE THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OR RUDDER WAS PRESENT. A PIECE OF THE RUDDER WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, HOWEVER, THE VERTICAL STABILIZER HAS YET TO BE FOUND.

(REVIEWED BY BAM ON 08/04/16)

AMENDED 12 /13/2016:  THE VERTICAL AND RUDDER WAS LOCATED BY A FARMER IN A CORN FIELD APPROXIMATELY  ¾ OF A MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE MAIN ACCIDENT SITE, THERE WAS FOUR MAIN PIECES  FOUND IN A SOMEWHAT STRAIGHT LINE SPANNING ABOUT 1500 FEET. THE VERTICAL WAS FOUND MAINLY INTACT AND HAS EVIDENCE OVERLOAD DAMAGE AT THE ATTACH POINTS. THREE PIECES OF THE RUDDER WAS FOUND (TOP AND TWO MIDDLE PIECES) THE RUDDER UPPER HINGE ATTACH BRACKET RIVETS WERE PULLED THROUGH THE VERTICAL ATTACH HOLES AND HALF THE LOWER HINGE ATTACH BRACKET RIVETS FAILED IN OVERLOAD THE OTHER HALF PULLED THROUGH THE VERTICAL ATTACH HOLES.  THE LOWER PORTION OF THE RUDDER WAS NOT FOUND.  ONE CONTROL CABLE END WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE RUDDER THE OTHER WAS NOT. BOTH CABLE ATTACH POINTS ON THE RUDDER HAD TWISTING AND BENDING DAMAGE.

(REVIEWED AMENDMENT BY FLM BAM ON 12/13/16)

## 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 CEN16LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA281), Jul 22, 2016: Vans RV9 (N807LK), Springfield, OH, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to fly into known thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.

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.