- Date
- April 5, 2014, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- New Iberia, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N119TBBelisle Thomas J RV7A
- Defining event
- Approach: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140405005779A
- Case key
- 89014
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 loss of control due to a temporary incapacitation.
Findings · 1
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
The pilot planned on a long cross-country flight. According to the pilot, he made a fuel stop and got something to eat and drink, and then continued the flight. As he approached his next stop, he reported that he contacted the tower controller, who cleared him for a right base for the runway. The airplane approached the runway, flew about 1,000 feet down the runway, and then drifted off to the right. The airplane then flew across a parallel taxiway, made a right turn, and impacted terrain, just east of the runway. The pilot reported that he did not remember the accident, nor climbing out of the airplane. By the time the first responders arrived, he was able to walk around the airplane and waved to them to indicate that he was not injured. He added that the last thing he remembered, was making the approach, and then looking at the wrecked airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was not equipped with carbon monoxide detectors, however, the heat exchanger had been removed and the ports plugged, and no indications that carbon monoxide had leaked into the cabin. The examination did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the pilot reported no problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The pilot added that he was given several tests at the hospital, but doctors told him it was probably due to dehydration.
Factual narrative
The pilot planned on a long cross-country flight. According to the pilot, he made a fuel stop and got something to eat and drink, and then continued the flight. As he approached his next stop, he reported that he contacted the tower controller, who cleared him for a right base for the runway. The airplane approached the runway, flew about 1,000 feet down the runway, and then drifted off to the right. The airplane then flew across a parallel taxiway, made a right turn, and impacted terrain, just east of the runway. The pilot reported that he did not remember the accident, nor climbing out of the airplane. By the time the first responders arrived, he was able to walk around the airplane and waved to them to indicate that he was not injured. He added that the last thing he remembered, was making the approach, and then looking at the wrecked airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was not equipped with carbon monoxide detectors, however, the heat exchanger had been removed and the ports plugged, and no indications that carbon monoxide had leaked into the cabin. The examination did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the pilot reported no problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The pilot added that he was given several tests at the hospital, but doctors told him it was probably due to dehydration.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N119TB
- Reported as
- Belisle Thomas J RV7A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 71612
- Built
- 2010
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Cross City, FL
- Destination
- Fort Stockton, CA
- Airport
- KARA · Acadiana Regional, runway 34, 8,002 × 200 ft, concrete
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
- 72
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 9 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KARA
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 13, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 639 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.