# NTSB ERA26FA177: Rajchl Vladimir Airplane Swing 06, N613SA, O'Brien, FL, April 16, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: April 16, 2026, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: O'Brien, FL - Coordinates: 30.032227, -82.973003 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0322&lon=-82.9730&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202833 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26FA177 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202833/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA177 ## Preliminary report On April 16, 2026, about 1030 eastern standard time, a Rajchl Vladimir Airplane Swing 06, N613SA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near O’Brien, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a family member, the pilot departed from O’Brien Airpark (FD71), O’Brien, Florida about 1015. She stated that the pilot intended to fly a traffic pattern and return to pick her before departing on a sightseeing flight. She observed the airplane depart to the south and recalled that the engine sounded normal. About 18 minutes after departure, she received a phone call from a neighbor advising that an airplane had crashed near the airport. According to a witness, who was also the property owner where the accident occurred, the airplane was flying northwest about 300 ft above ground level (agl). He observed the airplane briefly but did not continue to watch it because it sounded normal. Shortly thereafter, he heard a popping or flapping noise, which caused him to look back at the airplane. He observed the airplane pitched nose down at about a 45° angle, followed by full nose down attitude, before rotating about 180° and impacting terrain. Following the accident, the witness approached the airplane and could smell fuel, but observed no fire. He further stated that he did not see any parts separate from the airplane before it impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest in an open field on a 304° magnetic heading. All three blades of the composite propeller were liberated from the propeller hub assembly. One blade was found in the impact hole adjacent to the engine and was fractured mid span. A second blade was found 100 ft to the right of the main wreckage and was undamaged. The third blade was found 90 ft to the left of the main wreckage; the tip of the aft blade face was missing, while the back blade tip remained. The blade was split from the face and back surfaces. All three blades exhibited minor rotational scoring signatures. The engine was buried 3 ft in soft soil and was not visible. It remained partially attached to the engine mount and firewall. Fuel consistent with automotive gasoline, was observed dripping from the engine as it was removed from the impact crater. The engine was rotated 720° degrees when force was applied to the crankshaft. Thumb compressions were observed on cylinders 1 and 3. Cylinders 2 and 4 retained air pressure when 5 psi of shop air was applied. Valve train movement was observed on all cylinders, and continuity between the crankshaft and camshaft was confirmed. A borescope examination of the combustion chambers revealed no abnormalities of the intake and exhaust valves, piston domes, or cylinder walls. Fuel was present in the fuel pump and tested negative for water using water detecting paste. The cockpit instrumentation was destroyed by impact forces. The fuselage was crushed and fracturedin several locations. The fuel tank was breached, and fuel blighting of the surrounding vegetation was observed. The empennage was located on the right side of the fuselage behind the right wing structure and remained connected to the main wreckage by flight control cables. The horizontal stabilizer was separated from the empennage structure but remained attached by the control cables. Flight control cable continuity of the elevator and the rudder was established from the empennage to the rudder pedals and control yoke. The right wing was partially separated from the fuselage structure, and its leading edge exhibited uniform crush damage. The left wing was separated from the fuselage and was located about 30 ft forward of the main wreckage. The wreckage was retained for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Rajchl Vladimir AIRPLANE SWING 06, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=05904B9), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N613SA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N613SA), registered now, S/N 060112006, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RAJCHL VLADIMIR AIRPLANE SWING 06 - Registry model: [Rajchl Vladimir AIRPLANE SWING 06](https://openairdocs.org/model/rajchl-vladimir-airplane-swing-06) (registry code 05904B9) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 060112006 - Year built: 2007 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airport: FD71, O'Brien Airpark East/West ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: CTY, 25 nm away - METAR: METAR KCTY 161435Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 25/19 A3018 RMK AO2 ## 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 20260416005779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260416005779A), Apr 16, 2026: Rajchl Vladimir AIRPLANE SWING 06, Obrien, FL, Destroyed, 1 fatal. ASI arrived onscene at approx. 1600 local time. I was greeted and briefed by 2 local suwannee county sheriff deputies. I was provided the pilot's name and… 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.