20200712004759A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · David D Lake RANS S6 ES COYOTE II · Benton City, WA · July 12, 2020

Date: July 12, 2020 · 11:50 local
Place: Benton City, WA
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N644RS
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20CA218
Reported as: David D Lake Rans S6 ES Coyote II
Reported engine: SUZUKI G13BB
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,905 total129 in this make and model84 in the last 90 days

N644RSRegistration cancelled Sep 4, 2021 · David D Lake RANS S6 ES COYOTE IIS/N 12021475 · Built 2018 Airframe modelDavid D Lake RANS S6 ES COYOTE II Engine modelSuzuki G13BB4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot reported he was flying at 2800 ft MSL and observed elk on the rattlesnake moutain. He turned right toward mountain for pictures. As he approached mountain he felt the lift drop and he believes he was in a down draft. He applied full power and turned steep left away from mountain. Aircraft dropped 800 ft and was not able to stop rate of descent before striking ground, while still in bank, with left gear first. Left gear collapsed on impact and left wing struck ground. They slid sideways in the sage brush. Came to rest on hillside, RH gear also bent and aft fuselage bent.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT REPORTED HE WAS FLYING AT 2800 FT MSL AND OBSERVED ELK ON THE RATTLESNAKE MOUTAIN. HE TURNED RIGHT TOWARD MOUNTAIN FOR PICTURES. AS HE APPROACHED MOUNTAIN HE FELT THE LIFT DROP AND HE BELIEVES HE WAS IN A DOWN DRAFT. HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND TURNED STEEP LEFT AWAY FROM MOUNTAIN. AIRCRAFT DROPPED 800 FT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP RATE OF DESCENT BEFORE STRIKING GROUND, WHILE STILL IN BANK, WITH LEFT GEAR FIRST. LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED ON IMPACT AND LEFT WING STRUCK GROUND. THEY SLID SIDEWAYS IN THE SAGE BRUSH. CAME TO REST ON HILLSIDE, RH GEAR ALSO BENT AND AFT FUSELAGE BENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR20CA218Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportRichland, WAThe pilot's inability to arrest a descent rate or maintain altitude after encountering a downdraft while maneuvering at low altitude near mountainous terrain that resulted in a hard landing.Jul 12, 2020 · Substantial damage