- Date
- September 12, 2021, 20:05 local (Sep 13, 2021, 00:05 UTC)
- Place
- Atlanta, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N798RTVans Vans RV-8
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 103889
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
A loss of directional control and subsequent runway excursion resulting as a result of the inadvertent rudder input by the passenger.
Findings · 1
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 reported that during landing rollout, the airplane began to veer to the left and he attempted to counter with a right rudder input. He stated that the rudder pedals seemed jammed, and the airplane continued to veer to the left side of the runway. He quickly applied right brake, but it was not enough, and the airplane departed the runway and entered a marshy area, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies prior to the accident. During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that his passenger was experienced a leg cramp and was depressed the left rudder pedal during the landing roll. A statement received from the passenger confirmed the leg cramp.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N798RT
- Reported as
- Vans Vans RV-8 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 83105
- Built
- 2011
- Airframe hours
- 569.5
- Engine
- Aero Sport Power IO-375-B1B, 203 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- A-Mark Air, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 15, 2021
- Departed
- 5R4 · Foley, AL
- Destination
- FFC · Atlanta, GA
- Airport
- FFC · Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field, runway 31, 5,768 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight engineer, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 12, 2021
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 21,669 total · 563 in this make and model · 14,973 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KFFC
- METAR
- METAR KFFC 212053Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM FEW035 SCT046 27/23 A3002 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E SLP160 T02670228 56018=
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.0 MB in all.