# NTSB ERA13CA067: Radley Vincent Quicksilver Sport 2S, N79VR, King George, VA, November 23, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 23, 2012, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: King George, VA - Coordinates: 38.325553, -77.257225 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3256&lon=-77.2572&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report March 13, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 85658 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13CA067 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85658/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85658 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA067 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during taxi. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Taxi: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot said that he was taxiing the light sport airplane on his private property, and when he added power as he taxied up a hill, the airplane was hit by a gust of wind. The airplane then turned left, traveled down an embankment and struck a tree, resulting in serious injuries to the pilot. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. About the time of the accident, wind velocity was recorded at an airport approximately 10 miles away at 4 knots. A photograph of the accident site that was taken about 1/2 hour after the accident showed a large body of water in the background with small surface ripples and intermittent calm areas, indicative of wind speeds up to about 6 knots. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported to a state trooper that he was taxiing the light sport airplane on his private property to take off on a local flight. According to the pilot, he added power, and as he taxied the airplane up a hill, it was hit by a gust of wind. The airplane then turned left, traveled down an embankment and struck a tree, resulting in serious injuries to the pilot. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. About the time of the accident, wind velocity was recorded at an airport approximately 10 miles away at 4 knots. A state trooper photograph, taken about ½ hour after the accident, had a large body of water in the background of the crash site with small surface ripples and intermittent calm areas, indicative of winds up to about 6 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: N79VR (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: RADLEY VINCENT QUICKSILVER SPORT 2S - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 0249 - Engines: HKS 700e 60 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Radley Vincent - Registered owner: Radley Vincent - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: NA, King George, VA - Destination: NA, King George, VA - Airport: NA, Private Strip ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: KEZF, 10 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 20121123025459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121123025459A), Nov 23, 2012: Radley Vincent QUICKSILVER SPORT 2S, King George, VA, Substantial damage. Taxi for local flight. Gust of wind (was gusty here at ric and state trooper confirmed there too) lifted aircraft , pushed over edge, went down embankment into… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 4, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85658. 4.6 MB in all. - Memorandum of Record - No 6120 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384343&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20No%206120-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum of Record - Witness (item 2, .PDF, 162 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384111&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Witness-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum of Record - Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 127 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384113&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum of Record - Weather (item 4, .PDF, 337 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384358&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Weather-Master.PDF - Memorandum of Record - Accident Classification & Intent for Flight Supporting Documentation (item 5, .PDF, 182 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384261&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Accident%20Classification%20%26%20Intent%20for%20Flight%20Supporting%20Documentation-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum of Record - Virginia State Police (item 6, .PDF, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40383282&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Virginia%20State%20Police-Redacted.PDF - Picture of Airplane at Accident Site (Courtesy of Virginia State Police) (item 7, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384103&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Picture%20of%20Airplane%20at%20Accident%20Site%20(Courtesy%20of%20Virginia%20State%20Police)-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.