- Date
- July 28, 2018, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pickens, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N24CMVans RV 6
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180728018229A
- Case key
- 97926
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
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
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped, experimental, amateur-built airplane, he had practiced two takeoffs and landings and then decided to refuel the airplane. After refueling the airplane, he flew one more pattern before flying to his home airport. The pilot stated that, during the landing flare, the airplane "seemed as if it was being pushed down." The left wing struck the runway, the airplane landed on the right main landing gear, and the airplane then bounced. The propeller struck the ground, and the airplane exited the right side of the runway and then stopped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The METAR at the airport about the time of the accident reported that the wind was calm. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped, experimental, amateur-built airplane, he had practiced two takeoffs and landings and decided to refuel the airplane. After refueling the airplane, he flew one more pattern prior to flying to his home airport. During the flare, the airplane "seemed as if it was being pushed down." The left wing struck the runway and the airplane landed on the right main landing gear, and then it bounced. The propeller struck the ground and the airplane exited the right side of the runway and stopped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The METAR at the airport about the time of the accident reported that the wind was calm. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N24CM
- Reported as
- Vans RV 6 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 20835
- Built
- 1994
- Airframe hours
- 1,658.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 21, 2018
- Departed
- AVL · Asheville, NC
- Destination
- AVL · Asheville, NC
- Airport
- LQK · Pickens County, runway 05, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 20, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 752 total · 48 in this make and model · 750 as pilot in command · 6.4 in the last 90 days · 2.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KLQK
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 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.