- Date
- April 11, 2015, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- LaFayette, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N646RVTrom Wayne Vans RV6A
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150411005729A
- Case key
- 91021
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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in variable, gusting wind conditions, resulting in a runway excursion, and substantial damage to the airplane.
Findings · 4
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 during the landing roll in gusting, variable wind conditions, the airplane "suddenly" made a "strong" turn to the left. The airplane exited the runway to the left and the pilot applied left rudder to avoid hitting the windsock pole. The airplane entered tall grass, the nose wheel hit a hole, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and left wing during the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing roll in gusting, variable wind conditions, the airplane "suddenly" made a "strong" turn to the left. The airplane exited the runway to the left and the pilot applied left rudder to avoid hitting the windsock pole. The airplane entered tall grass, the nose wheel hit a hole, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and left wing during the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N646RV
- Reported as
- Trom Wayne Vans RV6A (A)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 20333
- Built
- 2009
- Airframe hours
- 216
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2G, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Peters William J
- Registered owner
- Peters William J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 8, 2015
- Departed
- 19GA · Fayetteville, GA
- Destination
- GE11 · LaFayette, GA
- Airport
- GE11 · Hogjowl, runway 28, 2,800 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 21, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 172 total · 172 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- K4A9, 15 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 409 KB 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.
Other investigations on N646RV · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.