# NTSB ERA22LA213: Vans RV7, N1218B, Huntsville, AL, May 1, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 1, 2022, 17:05 local (22:05 UTC) - Place: Huntsville, AL - Coordinates: 34.747365, -86.46744 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7474&lon=-86.4674&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - 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, Lycoming - NTSB case key (mKey): 105026 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA213 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105026/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105026 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA213 ## Probable cause The pilot’s impairment due to the effects of ethanol, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and an impact with terrain on approach to landing. ## 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 (probable cause); cases with it: [Gary A Barnes RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=05637ZG), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Gary A Barnes RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05637ZG), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Impairment/incapacitation: alcohol](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015): Personnel issues › Physical · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Gary A Barnes RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015/cases.md?model=05637ZG), [All aircraft, 87 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Gary A Barnes RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=05637ZG), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Approach: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Gary A Barnes RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05637ZG), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis Review of flight track data for the personal flight showed that the airplane flew on an easterly course for about 3 hours before the airplane’s altitude, heading, and groundspeed began to deviate. The airplane overflew the intended destination airport, circled several times, and impacted terrain about 600 ft short of a private airstrip about 16 nautical miles to the northeast of the intended airport. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomalies or malfunctions that would have precluded normal flight. The pilot stated that he had not eaten on the day of the accident, had consumed one beer before the accident flight, and had consumed additional alcoholic beverages in the airplane during the flight. The pilot recalled nothing from the last portion of the flight; however, evidence (open alcohol containers found in the wreckage) confirmed that he had consumed alcohol during the flight. Toxicology testing detected ethanol in the pilot’s blood at 0.172 gm/dL and his urine at 0.267 gm/dL. These concentrations were four to five times higher than the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulatory limit of 0.04 gm/dL; such concentrations would be impairing, and the pilot likely experienced degraded judgment and deficient coordination, psychomotor skills, perception, and attention. The airplane’s flightpath also demonstrated pilot impairment due to alcohol consumption before and during the flight. In addition, open alcohol containers were recovered in the wreckage, and the pilot admitted to consuming alcohol before and during the flight. The pilot likely experienced alcohol-related difficulties with cognitive and motor skills and was thus unable to safely manage the flight, resulting in a subsequent loss of airplane control. ## Factual narrative On May 1, 2022, about 1705 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Van's Aircraft RV-7A, N1218B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Huntsville International Airport-Carl T Jones Field (HSV), Huntsville, Alabama. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, earlier on the day of the accident, he had flown from HSV to McKinney National Airport (TKI), Dallas, Texas. The pilot reported that he had not eaten that day but had consumed one beer while in Dallas. He recalled consuming additional alcoholic beverages in the airplane on the flight back to Huntsville but recalled nothing after the airplane crossed into Mississippi. Review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight track data revealed that the airplane was first detected about 1328 shortly after departing TKI. The airplane climbed to an altitude of about 10,500 ft mean sea level and continued on an easterly course for about 2 hours 48 minutes. Afterward, large deviations were observed in the airplane’s altitude, heading, and groundspeed data. The airplane circled right and left east of Huntsville for about 30 minutes before entering a low approach over runway 9 at Moontown Airport (3M5), Huntsville, Alabama, which was about 16 nautical miles northeast of HSV, the intended airport. The airplane then made a left 180° turn and flew west for about 8 miles before it turned back and descended again toward 3M5. The airplane impacted terrain about 600 ft short of the runway 9 threshold. The airplane came to rest inverted, and it sustained substantial damage to the wings, empennage, and fuselage. Recovery personnel reported fuel in the wing tanks at the accident site as well as opened and empty containers of alcohol. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected ethanol in the pilot’s hospital admission blood (0.172 gm/dL) and his urine (0.267 gm/dL). The concentration of ethanol in blood collected 3 hours after hospital admission was 0.118 gm/dL. Ethanol is a social drug commonly consumed by drinking beer, wine, or liquor. Ethanol acts as a central nervous system depressant; it impairs judgment, psychomotor functioning, and vigilance. Effects of ethanol on aviators are generally well understood; it significantly impairs pilot performance, even at very low levels. At blood ethanol concentrations above 0.15 gm/dL, individuals may experience significant loss of muscle control and major loss of balance. Title 14 CFR 91.17(a) prohibits any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft “within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage” and “while having an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater in a blood or breath specimen.” ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1218B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1218B), registered now, S/N 72061, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VANS RV7 (A) - Registry model: [Gary A Barnes RV-7A](https://openairdocs.org/model/gary-a-barnes-rv-7a) (registry code 05637ZG) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-390 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-390-series) (registry code 41678, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 72061 - Year built: 2018 - Engines: Teledyne Mattituck Services TMX-390 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: TKI, Dallas, TX - Destination: HSV, Huntsville, AL - Airport: 3M5, Moontown Airport, runway 09, 2,180 × 160 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,300 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: HSV, 17 nm away - METAR: KHSV 012153Z VRB06KT 10SM SCT037 SCT070 27/18 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP143 T02720178 ## 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 20220501008579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220501008579A), May 1, 2022: Gary A Barnes RV-7A, Brownsboro, AL, Substantial damage. Aircraft impacted the ground approximately 200 yards short of the threshold of runway 09. Aircraft flipped over and came to rest upside down. ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 19, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105026. 21.2 MB in all. - Pilot statement (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 594 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14610871&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum of record 6120 requests (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 290 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14609949&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Requests-Rel.pdf - Witness statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 834 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14610764&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA22LA213%20Witness%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Recovery personnel statement (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14609250&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA22LA113%20AMF%20Recovery%20Personnel%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - ADS-B plot (item 5, KMZ, 773 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14610861&FileExtension=kmz&FileName=20220501_A05ADB_482665669-Rel.kmz - ADS-B tabular data (item 6, XLSX, 14.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14610941&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=20220501_A05ADB_482665669_ADSB-Rel.xlsx - Investigative photographs (item 7, PDF, 5 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14610686&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA22LA213%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination summary (item 8, PDF, 11 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14610897&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Examination%20Summary-Rel.pdf - Medical factual (item 9, PDF, 5 pages, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14560651&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA22LA213_Huntsville_AL_Medical_Factual_FINAL_100622-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 10, PDF, 2 pages, 217 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14610817&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Release%20Package_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.