# NTSB ERA10CA452: Kilishek George T RV-8, N888GK, Yadkinville, NC, August 29, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 29, 2010, 12:32 local (16:32 UTC) - Place: Yadkinville, NC - Coordinates: 36.052223, -80.693611 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0522&lon=-80.6936&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 11, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 77112 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA452 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77112/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77112 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA452 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate flare, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was conducting touch-and-go practice takeoff and landings at his home airport. During approach for the first landing, he noted that the flight controls felt less responsive than normal and that the airplane was in a nose-high configuration. The airplane approached the runway at a high descent rate and touched down hard in a level attitude. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane and noted that he should have increased the engine power during the landing approach. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, he was conducting touch-and-go landings at his home airport. He stated that the flight controls felt "a little mushy" during approach for the first landing, and that "the airplane was more nose high than it should have been." He also stated that the airplane had a "high descent rate" and landed "flat with too much force." Post-accident inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot further stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane, and that he "should have added power" during the landing approach. ## Aircraft - Registration: N888GK (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: KILISHEK GEORGE T RV-8 - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 80006 - Airframe hours: 455 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Steele Jeffrey B - Registered owner: Steele Jeffrey B - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 13, 2010 - Departed: 80C, Yadkinville, NC - Destination: 80C, Yadkinville, NC - Airport: 80C, Lone Hickory Airport, runway 16, 2,000 × 60 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 24, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 617 total, 138 in this make and model, 572 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,200 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: SVH, 22 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 20100829043389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100829043389A), Aug 29, 2010: Kilishek Ge KILISHEK RV, Yadkinville, NC, Substantial damage. Pilot got slow on approach and during the round out the aircraft developed a high sink rate which resulted in a hard landing. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77112. 382 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 357 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337115&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum for Record - FAA (item 2, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337118&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20FAA-Master.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.