- Date
- March 17, 2022, 14:38 local (18:38 UTC)
- Place
- Polk City, FL · Grass / Turf
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N275PLNordquist Richard A Vans RV7
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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
- FAA report
- 20220317003829A
- Case key
- 104820
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 control during landing due to the loose and uneven landing surface.
Findings · 2
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 his approach to landing was normal. He said that during the landing roll he felt nose gear “dig in” just before the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over inverted onto the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. After exiting the airplane, the pilot observed that the grass/turf landing surface was loose and uneven. Inspection of the grass runway surface revealed the dirt was soft, and a ground scar was created by the nose wheel. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed a fractured wheel pant and scarring on the lower right-wing skin. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies prior to landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N275PL
- Reported as
- Nordquist Richard A Vans RV7 (A)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 70788
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 930
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2021 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- 06FD · Mascotte, FL
- Destination
- 4FD7 · Polk City, FL
- Airport
- 4FD7 · Flanders Field Airport, runway 18, 1,800 × 135 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Recreational
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 19, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 462 total · 11 in this make and model · 402 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Observed at
- GIF, 9 nm away
- METAR
- SA 17/03/2022 19:53-> METAR KGIF 171953Z AUTO A3001 RMK AO2 SLPNO PWINO
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 31, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.