- Date
- June 9, 2009, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Gilbert, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N55ECChatham Robert M RV6-A
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090609047319A
- Case key
- 73995
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 of the airplane during landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the airspeed indicator that became inoperative during the landing approach.
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
The pilot stated that he was conducting an initial flight test in the traffic pattern at the local airport. During the approach to land, he noticed that the airspeed indicator was not working properly. He attempted to maintain a correct approach speed, but stated that he may have been going to fast. During the landing, the airplane floated down the runway. The pilot applied brake pressure, but then the airplane drifted off the left side of the runway. The nose wheel contacted a rock in a drainage area which resulted in the airplane flipping over. The propeller, fuselage, canopy, and tail section incurred damage. Postaccident examination of the airspeed indicator by the pilot revealed the tubing separated from the pressure port.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was conducting an initial flight test in the traffic pattern at the local airport. During the approach to landing he noticed that the airspeed indicator was not working properly. He attempted to determine the correct approach speed, but stated that he may have been going too fast. During the landing, the airplane floated down the runway. The pilot applied brake pressure, but then the airplane drifted off the left side of the runway. The nose wheel contacted a rock in a drainage area which resulted in the airplane flipping over. The propeller, fuselage, canopy, and tail section incurred damage. Postaccident examination of the airspeed indicator by the pilot revealed the tubing separated from the pressure port.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55EC
- Reported as
- Chatham Robert M RV6-A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 23962
- Airframe hours
- 1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 11, 2009
- Departed
- SC99 · Gilbert, SC
- Destination
- SC99 · Gilbert, SC
- Airport
- SC99 · Whiteplains Airport, runway 27, 3,000 × 35 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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 30, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 756 total · 6 in this make and model · 742 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- CAE, 12 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 25, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 717 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.