20161104023309A

On November 4, 2016, at approximately 1102 central daylight time, a private pilot certificated airman was involved in an aircraft accident while landing an RV-6 amateur-built aircraft at the Eureka Municipal Airport (13K), Eureka, Kansas; the aircraft is owned and operated by the airman. Pursuant to the airman?s written and verbal statements, the RV-6 aircraft was recently purchased by the airman, and on this particular day, was to be flown from the salina municipal airport (ksln), salina, Kansas, to the memorial field airport (khot), hot springs, Arkansas. Shortly after departure from ksln and en-route to khot, the airman stated that low clouds were encountered, thus the decision to divert to 13K was made. Upon arrival at 13K, the airman stated that it was the intent to conduct several touch-and-go landings to further develop landing proficiency; the airman had logged only ten hours in the RV-6 and fifteen total hours in conventional/tailwheel aircraft. Pursuant to the airman?s statement, three touch-and-go landings were attempted at 13K on runway 18, with the airman stating that during the final approach phase, the aircraft?s longitudinal axis was not properly aligned with the runway centerline, and therefore a go-around was initiated for each landing attempt; surface winds were light and variable. During the third and final landing attempt, the airman stated that during touchdown, with the control stick in the aft position, the airman was concerned about the aircraft?s tendency to yaw left, and therefore elected, once again, to go-around. As the airman initiated the application of full-power, the airman stated that the aircraft immediately yawed left, cartwheeled two times, and came to rest inverted off the left side of runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; the two occupants received only minor injuries. A post-accident inspection did not reveal any aircraft or flight control anomaly that could have contributed to this accident.