- Date
- May 6, 1999, 11:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Truth Or Cnsqnc, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8117QDavis RV-6A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990506030359A
- Case key
- 46370
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
A soft runway surface that caused the airplane to nose over.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
This was the maiden flight of N8117Q. After testing the airplane for 3 hours, the pilot returned to the airport for landing. Although the wind was reported to be at 7 knots and favoring runway 13, the pilot was forced to abandon two landing approaches because of the turbulence. The airport Unicom then reported the winds to be variable and favoring runway 11. The pilot made a 'smooth' landing on runway 11. The airplane rolled for about 40 or 50 feet, then nosed over when the nose landing gear sheared off. He said it felt like the brakes had been applied. Postaccident inspection of the runway revealed the landing gear had settled 6 to 7 inches into the soft sand. The tires on the RV-6A are only 3 inches wide and protrude about 3 inches below the wheel pants. 'Not good for a soft sand runway,' the pilot said.
Factual narrative
On May 6, 1999, approximately 1145 mountain daylight time, a Davis' Vans RV-6A, N8117Q, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Truth or Consequences Municipal Airport, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant aboard, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the test flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated approximately 0900.
In his accident report, the pilot said he obtained a weather briefing from the Albuquerque Flight Service Station (FSS). Winds were reported to be 9 knots "and diminishing." This was the maiden flight of N8117Q. The pilot said after takeoff, he experienced "severe turbulence" that diminished as he flew south. After testing the airplane for 3 hours, he returned to the airport for landing.
The pilot said the wind was reported to be at 7 knots and favoring runway 13. He also said it was still quite turbulent and he was forced to abandon two landing approaches because of the turbulence. The airport Unicom then reported the winds to be variable and favoring runway 11. The pilot made a "smooth" landing on runway 11. The airplane rolled for about 40 or 50 feet, then nosed over when the nose landing gear sheared off. He said it felt like the brakes had been applied. Postaccident inspection of the runway revealed the landing gear had settled 6 to 7 inches into the soft sand. The tires on the RV-6A are only 3 inches wide and protrude about 3 inches below the wheel pants. "Not good for a soft sand runway," the pilot said.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8117Q
- Reported as
- Davis RV-6A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 25227
- Airframe hours
- 3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Marland E. Davis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 4, 1999 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- TCS
- Airport
- TCS · Truth Or Consequences Mun, runway 11, 7,000 × 150 ft, dirt
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 947 total · 3 in this make and model · 885 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TCS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8117Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.