- Date
- May 12, 2012, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pecos, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N811JRRisher Jimmy E Vans Aircraft RV-8
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120512007849A
- Case key
- 83625
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
As the pilot approached his destination airport, he listened to the airport’s automated weather reporting station. As he flew over the airfield, he noticed that the wind indicators showed that the wind was from a different direction than what was reported from the automated weather station. He then listened to the reporting station again and learned that the updated report agreed with the wind direction indicators on the airfield. The pilot then selected a runway for the landing approach based on the prevailing wind. The pilot reported that the landing and landing roll were straight and without complications; however, about three-quarters through the landing roll, he felt a large wind gust on the right side of the airplane. The pilot said that he did not have enough rudder authority to overcome the effect of the wind and that the airplane did a 180-degree left turn. During the 180-degree turn, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage near the main landing gear attachment point.
Factual narrative
As the pilot approached his destination airport, he listened to the airport’s automated weather reporting station. As he flew over the airfield, he noticed that the wind indicators were indicating that the wind was from a different direction then what was reported from the automated weather station. He then listened to the reporting station again and learned the updated report agreed with the wind direction indicators on the airfield. The pilot then selected a runway, based on the prevailing wind, for the landing approach. The pilot reported that the landing and rollout were straight, and without complications; however, about three-quarters through the landing roll he felt a large wind gust on the right side of the airplane. The pilot added that he did not have enough rudder authority to overcome the effect of the wind and the airplane did a 180-degree left turn. During the 180-degree turn, the airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage near the main landing gear attachment point.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N811JR
- Reported as
- Risher Jimmy E Vans Aircraft RV-8
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 81614
- Airframe hours
- 79
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 25, 2012
- Departed
- KGTU · Georgetown, TX
- Destination
- KPEQ · Pecos, TX
- Airport
- KPEQ · Pecos Municipal, runway 32, 6,236 × 80 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 130 total · 58 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KPEQ
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 5, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 701 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.