# Accident 20220916018949A: Trom Wayne VANS RV6A, Aztec, AZ, September 16, 2022 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 16, 2022, 13:23 local time - Place: Aztec, AZ - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.8503° N, 113.3633° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8503&lon=-113.3633&mi=10 - Aircraft: N646RV, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N646RV) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Trom Wayne VANS RV6A (registry code 05628IT, https://openairdocs.org/model/trom-wayne-vans-rv6a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (registry code 42122, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e2c) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TROM WAYNE VANS RV6A - Reported engine: LYCOMING O-320-E2C - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22FA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA348) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220916018949A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 09/16/2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1209 PDT, A VANS RV6A DEPARTED BROWN FIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, CA (KSDM) WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF NOGALES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AZ (KOLS). PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PIC PURCHASED 19.15 GALLONS OF FUEL AT 11:36AM FROM FIRST FLIGHT FBO LOCATED ON KSDM. AT APPROXIMATELY 1323 PDT, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ON FLAT, UNPOPULATED, AND SPARSLEY VEGITATED DESERT TERRAIN. VISUAL METOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT WAS ADS-B EQUIPPED. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES OF THE IMPACT. PIC AND SPOUSE BOTH DID NOT SURVIVE THE CRASH AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE ON THE MORNING OF 09/17/2022 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED FACING A HEADING OF 145 DEGREES. THE POST-IMPACT DEBRIS FIELD WAS CONTAINED TO AN APPROXIMATE 40 FOOT RADIUS OF THE IMPACT SITE. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FIRE WAS NOTED. POST-IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED THE COCKPIT, FUSELAGE, AND THE INBOARD PORTIONS OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS. THE EMPENNAGE, TO INCLUDE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, WAS BURNED BUT INTACT. COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS, INDICATORS, AND CONTROLS WERE DESTROYED OR SEVERELY DAMAGED BY THE FIRE. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. THE WOODEN PROPELLOR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE UNDER POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT AS NOTED BY FRACTURE PATTERN THAT RAN PARALLEL TO THE PROPELLER CHORD, LACK OF SCORING AND/OR SCRATCHES ON THE PROPELLER LEADING EDGES, AND BY THE LACK OF RADIAL SCORING ON THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE PROPELLER SPINNER FLANGE. A REVIEW OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED ANNUAL CONDITION INSPECTIONS WERE PERFORMED PER THE OPERATION LIMITATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE. ON OR AROUND 03/31/2022, ALL FOUR ENGINE CYLINDERS WERE REWORKED DUE TO CORROSION BEING FOUND. WORK WAS PERFORMED BY 14 CFR PART 145 REPAIR STATIONS AND INCLUDED CHROME PLATING AND EXHAUST PORT REWORK. DETAILED EXAM OF THE ENGINE CONDUCTED ON 10/25/2022 REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMOLIES THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE APPARENT LOSS OF POWER. COMBUSTION CHAMBER ENVIRONMENTS AND ELECTRODES DISPLYED NO EVIDENCE OF FOREIGN OBJECT INGESTION. ALL ENGINE ACCESSORIES TO INCLUDE CARURETOR, MAGNETOS, ALTERNATOR, STARTER, AND ASSOCIATED WIRING WERE DESTROYED BY THE POST-IMAPCT FIRE AND WERE NOT ABLE TO BE ASSESSED FOR FUNCTIONALITY. ## 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 WPR22FA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA348), Sep 16, 2022: Trom Wayne Vans RV6A (N646RV), Aztec, AZ, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to turn away from a suitable emergency… ## Other reports on N646RV (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20150411005729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150411005729A), Apr 11, 2015: Trom Wayne VANS RV6A (N646RV), Menlo, GA, Substantial damage. On Saturday April 11, 2015 at approximately 1345 local time I received a phone call from roc that an aircraft make; vans homebuilt, model; RV6A had run off the… 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.