# NTSB ERA23LA010: Green L/Gilner D RV-4, N262DF, Rowlesburg, WV, October 7, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 7, 2022, 14:04 local (18:04 UTC) - Place: Rowlesburg, WV - Coordinates: 39.350119, -79.672892 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3501&lon=-79.6729&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - 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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 106085 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106085/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106085 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA010 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate airspeed/angle-of-attack during the landing approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Green L/Gilner D RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=05602D5), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Green L/Gilner D RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05602D5), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Green L/Gilner D RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05602D5), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Green L/Gilner D RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05602D5), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was on approach to a private turf airstrip when the accident event occurred. He said that after overflying the runway, he descended to 200 feet as he entered a tight left downwind leg of the traffic pattern over a nearby river. As he made the turn from downwind to final, he noted that his angle of attack instrument was reading well below critical angle, then within a second the plane rolled right and “slammed” into the ground. He offered the hypothesis that a sudden gust cut his lift and resulted in the stall/spin. He also stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Witnesses at the airport describe that they saw the airplane on the downwind leg of the approach, and that the airplane was closer to the airport compared to other airplanes that had been landing on the same runway. The witnesses described that the airplane was low, about 30 to 40 ft above the ground, and in a steep bank at high speed when it impacted the ground approximately 500 yards from the end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector confirmed that the airplane’s fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. Given this information, it is likely that the pilot failed to fly the airplane at an appropriate airspeed/angle-of-attack during the landing approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and impact with terrain. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N262DF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N262DF-2023-06-10), registration cancelled 2023-06-10, S/N 1969, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GREEN L/GILNER D RV-4 - Registry model: [Green L/Gilner D RV-4](https://openairdocs.org/model/green-l-gilner-d-rv-4) (registry code 05602D5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1969 - Year built: 1996 - Airframe hours: 979 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, March 17, 2022 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: PZ52, Cheat Island, runway 30, 2,100 × 50 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 22, 2022; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 1,072 total, 860 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,600 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: CKB, 26 nm away - METAR: METAR KCKB 071853Z 33007KT 10SM BKN026 OVC033 17/11 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP188 T01670106 ## 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 20221007016319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221007016319A), Oct 7, 2022: Green L/Gilner D RV-4, Rowlesburg, WV, Destroyed. Pilot statement:on oct 7th, 2022 I departed ezf for a VFR flight into the cheat river airstrip, WV. The flight was conducted under VFR, and the weather was VFR… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106085. 5.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 7 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14890765&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20LA010_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 129 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14891719&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA23LA010%20FAA%20statements-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� METAR reports (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 182 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14893330&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%20ERA23LA010%20METARS-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14891674&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20photos%20LA010-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.