# NTSB ERA20CA087: Vans Vans RV 8, N130JK, Fernandina Beach, FL, January 24, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 24, 2020, 14:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Fernandina Beach, FL - Coordinates: 30.611944, -81.461112 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6119&lon=-81.4611&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 27, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 100868 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA087 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100868/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100868 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA087 ## Probable cause The pilot receiving instruction’s loss of directional control on landing with a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and the left main landing gear collapsing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot had recently purchased the tailwheel-equipped airplane and was receiving flight instruction in it toward a tailwheel endorsement. He had previously completed two successful landings. During the third landing with a 12- to 14-knot right crosswind and just as the tailwheel was about to settle onto the runway, the airplane began to veer right. The pilot and flight instructor attempted to compensate by applying full left rudder, but the airplane continued off the right side of the runway into grass. The left main landing gear collapsed; the left wing struck the ground, substantially damaging it; and the airplane then came to rest. The pilot and instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation nor did a Federal Aviation Administration inspector's postaccident examination of the airplane find any. ## Factual narrative The commercial pilot had recently purchased the tailwheel-equipped accident airplane and was receiving flight instruction in it toward a tailwheel endorsement, and had previously completed two successful landings. During the third landing, in a 12 to 14-knot right crosswind, and just as the tailwheel was about to settle onto the runway, the airplane began to veer to the right side of the runway. The pilot attempted to compensate by applying full left rudder, as did the flight instructor, but the airplane continued off the right side of the runway and into the grass. Before coming to rest the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing struck the ground, substantially damaging it. Following the accident both the pilot and the flight instructor reported that there were now preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, nor was any found during a postaccident examination of the airplane conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. ## Aircraft - Registration: N130JK (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Vans VANS RV 8 (Undesignat) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 81258 - Year built: 2001 - Engines: Unknown reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: FHB, Fernandina Beach, FL - Destination: FHB, Fernandina Beach, FL - Airport: FHB, Fernandina Beach Muni, runway 09, 5,000 × 100 ft, concrete - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed; last flight review September 7, 2019; seat: left; flight hours: 2,583.1 total, 8.6 in this make and model - Flight instructor; age 58; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: rear; flight hours: 11,300 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: FHB ## 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 20200124007609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200124007609A), Jan 24, 2020: Schumacher Joe P VANS RV-8, Fernandina Beac, FL, Substantial damage. The new owner of the RV-8 was getting a refresher on his 'tail-wheel' endorsement and his 'new' aircraft. The CFI located in the back seat with access to all… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 1, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100868. 780 KB in all. - Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481833&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Flight Instructor (item 2, .PDF, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481834&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Flight%20Instructor-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481835&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 460 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481836&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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.