- Date
- June 25, 2016, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fitchburg, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3446Benjamin Harold E RV-4
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Lexington FSDO
- FAA report
- 20160625006669A
- Case key
- 93496
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 upon landing, which resulted in a runway excursion followed by impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a normal three-point landing, shortly after touchdown the airplane veered to the left, then veered to the right. The pilot further reported that he applied power in an attempt to regain control, however the airplane veered back to the left and he reduced power as the airplane departed the runway. The airplane ground looped and the right wing impacted terrain causing substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a normal three-point landing, shortly after touchdown the airplane veered to the left, then veered to the right. The pilot further reported that he applied power in an attempt to regain control, however the airplane veered back to the left and he reduced power as the airplane departed the runway. The airplane ground looped and the right wing impacted terrain causing substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3446
- Reported as
- Benjamin Harold E RV-4 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 3446
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 229
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2016
- Departed
- 4C4 · Colebrook, NH
- Destination
- FIT · Fitchburg, MA
- Airport
- FIT · Fitchburg Muni, runway 20, 3,504 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, 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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 8, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 837 total · 234 in this make and model · 641 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- KFIT
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 20, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB 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.