# Accident 20250214002879A: Clark Gaylord W CLARK VANS RV8A, Clayton, GA, February 14, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 14, 2025, 10:15 local time
- Place: Clayton, GA
- Airport: Heaven'S Landing
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.9142° N, 83.4594° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HEAVEN'S LANDING (GE99), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9142&lon=-83.4594&mi=10
- Aircraft: N38GC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38GC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Clark Gaylord W CLARK VANS RV8A (registry code 056176B, https://openairdocs.org/model/clark-gaylord-w-clark-vans-rv8a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CLARK GAYLORD W CLARK VANS RV8A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,172 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250214002879A

## Narrative

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

UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT PULLED LEFT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO COUNTER WITH FULL RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKING TO NO AVAIL. THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND TRAVELLED DOWN INTO A RAVINE. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUCK A BOULDER WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPING TO AN INVERTED POSITION. SKID MARKS ON THE RUNWAY AND IN THE GRASS INDICATED THE LEFT WHEEL WAS LOCKED DURING THE LANDING ROLL OUT. THERE WAS NO SKID MARK IDENTIFIED ON THE RUNWAY FOR THE RIGHT WHEEL. INSPECTION OF THE LEFT TIRE REVEALED A FLAT SPOT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PLACED ON JACKS, THE LEFT WHEEL ROTATED WITH LIGHT BRAKE DRAGGING AGAINST THE BRAKE DISC. THE LEFT BRAKE PEDAL WAS OPERATED AND FOUND TO PROVIDE FIRM BRAKING. THE RIGHT BRAKE PEDAL WAS OPERATED AND FOUND TO BE SPONGY WITH NO BRAKING FORCE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE DISC. THE LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH STAND-ALONE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIRS ATTACHED TO EACH MASTER CYLINDER. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS FOUND TO BE TOPPED OFF IN EACH RESERVOIR. THE RIGHT RESERVOIR WAS FOUND TO HAVE A (CORRECT) VENTED PLUG WHILE THE LEFT RESERVOIR WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN (INCORRECT) UNVENTED PIPE PLUG INSTALLED. THE LEFT BRAKE WAS OPERATED WITH THE PIPE PLUG REMOVED AND FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY WITHOUT THE PREVIOUSLY OBSERVED BRAKE DRAGGING. THE PILOT/OWNER, WHO ALSO HOLDS A MECHANIC CERTIFICATE, HAS PERFORMED ALL INSPECTIONS, REPAIRS AND SERVICING ON THE EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. HE STATED HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE UNVENTED PIPE PLUG WHEN HE SERVICED THE BRAKE RESERVOIRS APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT SINCE SERVICING. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, HE STATED THAT THE BRAKES OPERATED NORMALLY DURING TAXI AND RUN-UP. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MARYLAND AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OF 19 DEGREES F. THE CABIN HEAT VALVE WAS OPENED FULLY FOR THE FLIGHT TO GEORGIA. THE CABIN HEAT VENT DISCHARGES NEAR THE FLOORBOARD DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS AND BRAKE RESERVOIRS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS FEET GOT VERY HOT AS HIGH HEAT WAS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE COMFORT OF THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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.