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20210222000259A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Babenco Henry D VANS RV-7A · Mayfield, KY · February 22, 2021

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 22, 2021 · 16:50 local
Place
Mayfield, KY
Phase of flight
Maneuver
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N383DB
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA21FA135
Reported as
Babenco Henry D Vans RV-7A
Reported engine
Lycoming IO-360-M1B
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
N383DBRegistration cancelled Sep 3, 2022 · Babenco Henry D VANS RV-7AS/N 72319 · Built 2011Airframe modelBabenco Henry D VANS RV-7AEngine modelLycoming IO-360-M1BReciprocating

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.

The aircraft was found in a field approximately one quarter of a mile north of the Mayfield, KY airport (M25) and directly inline with the runway centerline. Examination of the wreckage indicated the aircraft sustained substantial damage concurrent with a nose down, high angle of trajectory, and a high speed impact. The pilot involved in the accident, stated to an acquaintance just prior to the flight that he was going to do some aerobatics. Another witness stated that she saw the airplane takeoff, gain altitude, flip over, and dive into the ground. A post accident investigation found no evidence of fire. All major components of the aircraft including the flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident scene. Flight control continuity could not be determined due to impact damage. All fuel tanks were breached. There was an odor of gasoline present during recovery of the wreckage. An offsite teardown and inspection of the engine found no abnormalities that may have been a contributing factor to the accident.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER OF A MILE NORTH OF THE MAYFIELD, KY AIRPORT (M25) AND DIRECTLY INLINE WITH THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE CONCURRENT WITH A NOSE DOWN, HIGH ANGLE OF TRAJECTORY, AND A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. THE PILOT INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT, STATED TO AN ACQUAINTANCE JUST PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO SOME AEROBATICS. ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT SHE SAW THE AIRPLANE TAKEOFF, GAIN ALTITUDE, FLIP OVER, AND DIVE INTO THE GROUND. A POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDING THE FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. ALL FUEL TANKS WERE BREACHED. THERE WAS AN ODOR OF GASOLINE PRESENT DURING RECOVERY OF THE WRECKAGE. AN OFFSITE TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FOUND NO ABNORMALITIES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

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 ERA21FA135Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportMayfield, KYThe pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of airplane control, and subsequent impact with terrain.Feb 22, 2021 · Substantial damage