# NTSB GAA18CA103: Harrop Blake RV 7, N4163B, Death Valley National Park, CA, January 14, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 13, 2018, 16:30 local (Jan 14, 2018, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Death Valley National Park, CA - Coordinates: 36.463333, -116.880836 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4633&lon=-116.8808&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report March 27, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - NTSB case key (mKey): 96605 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96605/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96605 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA103 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the landing flare, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. ## 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 · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Harrop Blake RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=05619FZ), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Harrop Blake RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05619FZ), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: [Harrop Blake RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05619FZ), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Harrop Blake RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05619FZ), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Harrop Blake RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05619FZ), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Harrop Blake RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05619FZ), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Harrop Blake RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05619FZ), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during the landing flare, about 2 to 3 ft above the ground, he reduced power, and the airplane aerodynamically stalled. The airplane landed hard and then bounced, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane then came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the canopy and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, during the landing flare, about 2 to 3 ft. above the ground, he reduced power and the airplane aerodynamically stalled. The airplane landed hard, bounced, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the canopy and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4163B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4163B), registered now, S/N 884163, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HARROP BLAKE RV 7 (A) - Registry model: [Harrop Blake RV-7A](https://openairdocs.org/model/harrop-blake-rv-7a) (registry code 05619FZ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-A1B6](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6) (registry code 41576, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 884163 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 324.5 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1B6 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 10, 2017 - Departed: O26, LONE PINE, CA - Destination: L06, Death Valley National Park, CA - Airport: L06, Furnace Creek, runway 15, 3,065 × 70 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; last flight review February 7, 2013; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 504 total, 325 in this make and model, 469 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: KDRA, 42 nm away ## 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 20180113000759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180113000759A), Jan 13, 2018: Harrop Blake RV-7A, Furnace Creek, CA, Substantial damage. On 01/13/2018, 1630 PST, N4163B, experimental amateur built vans RV-7A, piloted by the [privacy data omitted] private pilot, on a 14 CFR 91 flight landed at… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 1, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96605. 3.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460478&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460480&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.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.