# NTSB ERA25LA109: Near William J RV-7A, N811WJ, Weirsdale, FL, February 5, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 5, 2025, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Weirsdale, FL · On Runway at 97FL - Coordinates: 28.961929, -81.891471 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.9619&lon=-81.8915&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2025 - 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): 199651 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA109 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199651/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199651 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA109 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and subsequent nose over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Near William J RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=056237I), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Near William J RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056237I), [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. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Near William J RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=056237I), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Near William J RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=056237I), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was landing the experimental amateur-built airplane on a turf runway, and had traveled about 1/3 the length of the runway when the airplane “lost energy” about 5 feet above ground level. The airplane then bounced as it crested a small hill before it landed “hard” on the nose landing gear. The nose landing gear subsequently dug into the soft, sandy soil and the airplane nosed over. The pilot was seriously injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts, empennage, and fuselage during the accident sequence. Postaccident examination of the airplane’s flight controls revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N811WJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N811WJ), registered now, S/N 70685, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NEAR WILLIAM J RV-7A - Registry model: [Near William J RV-7A](https://openairdocs.org/model/near-william-j-rv-7a) (registry code 056237I) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-360-A1D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (registry code 41504, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 70685 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 389 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, December 21, 2023 - Departed: X23, Umatilla, FL - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 97FL, Love Field Airport, runway 18/36, 3,700 × 125 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 10, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 620 total, 423 in this make and model, 507 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: KLEE, 9 nm away - METAR: METAR KLEE 051753Z 15005KT 10SM CLR 26/18 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP217 T02560178 10256 20139 58019 ## 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 20250205000959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250205000959A), Feb 5, 2025: Near William J RV-7A, Weirsdale, FL, Destroyed. Weirsdale, FL (97FL}: [privacy data omitted], RV7, crashed for unknown reasons in the backyard of a home located along the runway of 97FL (fly-in community}… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199651. 3.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19362508&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20ERA25LA109%20signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 523 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19362518&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20N811WJ-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� wreckage examination (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19362112&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Wreckage%20Examination%20(Young)-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 726 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19362632&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA25LA109%20Wreckage%20Release%20(Signed)_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.