# NTSB ERA20LA213: Vans RV8, N553KM, Hampton, GA, June 12, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 12, 2020, 19:50 local (23:50 UTC) - Place: Hampton, GA - Coordinates: 33.389999, -84.331108 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3900&lon=-84.3311&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101434 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20LA213 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101434/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101434 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA213 ## Probable cause The pilot’s excessive maneuvering at low altitude following a partial loss of engine power which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot; cases with it: [Rieder Kenneth J RV8 VANS AIRCRAFT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=05617O5), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Rieder Kenneth J RV8 VANS AIRCRAFT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05617O5), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Rieder Kenneth J RV8 VANS AIRCRAFT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05617O5), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the airplane’s initial climb after takeoff, witnesses reported hearing the engine misfire and seeing black smoke trailing the airplane. The pilot performed a 180° turn and approached the departure runway in the opposite direction and overflew the airport environment. The airplane subsequently entered a 180° turn for landing on the departure runway and impacted terrain in a flat attitude at the approach end of the runway. The landing gear and cockpit canopy separated, and the wings and the fuselage were substantially damaged. Video of the accident captured the airplane in steep pitch and roll attitudes at low altitude. A detailed postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the fuel nozzle on the No. 2 cylinder was blocked and the spark plugs (top and bottom) revealed signatures consistent with "rich" mixtures in the Nos. 1 and 4 cylinders and "lean" mixtures in the Nos. 2 and 3 cylinders. The blocked fuel nozzle likely resulted in the partial loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On June 12, 2020, at 1950 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Vans RV8 airplane, N553KM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Henry County Airport (HMP), Hampton, Georgia. The pilot was seriously injured. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. A witness captured the accident flight on video. The airplane is seen taking off, entering a steep climb, performing a tight 180° turn, and then descending steeply before leveling off near the ground and traveling in the opposite direction of takeoff over the airfield as the video ends. The engine can be heard misfiring throughout the video and black smoke can be seen trailing the airplane. Witness testimony of what was seen and heard was consistent with the video. Witnesses further described the airplane entering a subsequent 180°-turn for landing on the departure runway. At low altitude, and low airspeed, the airplane "stalled." The airplane subsequently aligned with the left base leg of the traffic pattern for runway 06 at a low altitude and then impacted terrain in a flat attitude at the approach end of the runway. The landing gear and cockpit canopy separated, and the wings and the fuselage were substantially damaged. Examination of video footage of the accident flight forwarded by the airplane’s owner revealed a steep, nearly vertical climb after takeoff, followed by maneuvers consistent with those described by the witnesses. Data recovered from non-volatile memory of onboard avionics suggested a steep pitch upward followed by a steep left roll after takeoff. The maneuvers were depicted below 500 ft, over the runway environment, with large pitch and roll values, followed by a loss of oil pressure and RPM. A postaccident examination of the airplane was conducted and flight control continuity was confirmed. The engine was examined, and the No. 2 fuel nozzle was found blocked by an unspecified material. Examination of the spark plugs (top and bottom) revealed signatures consistent with "rich" mixtures in the Nos. 1 and 4 cylinders, and "lean" mixtures in the Nos. 2 and 3 cylinders. No other anomalies were noted with the airframe or engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N553KM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N553KM), registered now, S/N 81553, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Vans RV8 (UNDESIGNAT) - Registry model: [Rieder Kenneth J RV8 VANS AIRCRAFT](https://openairdocs.org/model/rieder-kenneth-j-rv8-vans-aircraft) (registry code 05617O5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 81553 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 1894.7 - Engines: JBA IO-360-B1XC3 185 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Rieder Kenneth J - Registered owner: Rieder Kenneth J - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 10, 2020 - Departed: HMP, Hampton, GA - Destination: HMP, Hampton, GA - Airport: HMP, Henry County Airport, runway 06, 5,500 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: serious; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 12,500 total, 100 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: K6A2, 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 20200612010029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200612010029A), Jun 12, 2020: Rieder Kenneth J RV8 VANS AIRCRAFT, Hampton, GA, Destroyed. On June 12, 2020, at approximately 1945 a pilot operating a vans RV8 aircraft departed runway 6 at Henry County Airport (hmp), located in Hampton, Georgia for… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 15, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101434. 49.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 memorandum for record (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 120 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11959706&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Memorandum%20for%20Record-Rel.pdf - Witness statements (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11959570&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Video file (item 3, MOV, 771 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11960432&FileExtension=mov&FileName=IMG_1877-Rel.mov - Device download factual report (item 4, PDF, 9 pages, 10.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11960530&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=08-01%20Device%20Download%20Factual%20Report_ERA20LA213_rayner%20(002)-Rel.pdf - Non-volatile memory data (item 5, CSV, 697 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11960442&FileExtension=csv&FileName=ERA20LA213_GarminG3X_last_flight-Rel.csv - Condition inspection (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 31.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11959378&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Condition%20Inspection1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement engine examination (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11960452&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Engine%20Exam_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 8, PDF, 3 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11960371&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 9, PDF, 3 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11959388&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Release_Redacted-Rel.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.