# NTSB CEN20CA307: Vans Vans RV 6, N327WB, Imperial, NE, July 25, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 25, 2020, 12:49 local (18:49 UTC) - Place: Imperial, NE - Coordinates: 40.406944, -101.6175 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4069&lon=-101.6175&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 101670 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA307 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101670/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101670 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA307 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight performance planning and his decision not to utilize all available runway during high density altitude operations which led to an inflight loss of control and subsequent collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: performance calculations](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Theriault Gil A VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061010/cases.md?model=056036D), [All aircraft, 114 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061010/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Theriault Gil A VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=056036D), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Aircraft capability: climb capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Theriault Gil A VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010/cases.md?model=056036D), [All aircraft, 183 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500) (defining event); cases with it: [Theriault Gil A VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md?model=056036D), [All aircraft, 252 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Theriault Gil A VANS RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056036D), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that this was his third passenger carrying flight of the day and he determined his takeoff weight was about 146 lbs below max gross weight. For the takeoff from the grass strip, he elected not to utilize flaps or the full length of the runway, leaving about 100-200 ft behind him. During the takeoff roll, the pilot had the sense that the roll was taking longer than normal, and he began to be concerned about powerlines at the end of the runway. When about 10-25 ft above the ground, he began a shallow bank turn to the right. Immediately after starting the turn, he flew over a corn field and experienced a loss of lift. The airplane then impacted the corn, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot noted that he listened to the density altitude reported on the Automated Weather Observing System for a nearby airport but did not process the effects it would have on the accident flight. The density altitude was about 6,184 ft. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N327WB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N327WB-2022-09-14), registration cancelled 2022-09-14, S/N 24169, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Vans VANS RV 6 (Undesignat) - Registry model: [Theriault Gil A VANS RV-6](https://openairdocs.org/model/theriault-gil-a-vans-rv-6) (registry code 056036D) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-H2AD](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-h2ad) (registry code 42131, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 24169 - Year built: 1996 - Airframe hours: 754 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, January 7, 2020, 20 hours before - Departed: PVT, Imperial, NE - Destination: IML, Imperial, NE - Airport: PRIV, Private - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 22, 2019; seat: left; flight hours: 247 total, 58 in this make and model, 247 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KIML, 6 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200725010649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200725010649A), Jul 25, 2020: Theriault Gil A VANS RV-6, Imperial, NE, Substantial damage. On Saturday July 25, 2020 at approximately 1147 MDT, a vans RV-6 experimental aircraft with 2 persons aboard departed a private grass runway near Imperial… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101670. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10022920&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Reporting%20Form%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 666 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10025449&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.