- Date
- June 1, 2019, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rose Hill, KS
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N787TLVans RV6
- Defining event
- Landing: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190601005569A
- Case key
- 99526
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 unintentional engagement of the brakes before landing, which resulted in a nose-over.
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, while landing on a grass runway, the airplane nosed over. The pilot acknowledged that he likely landed with the brake pedals depressed. He checked the wheels, and they moved freely. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 10 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 210° at 8 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 19.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on a grass runway, the airplane nosed over. The pilot acknowledged that he likely landed with the brake pedals depressed. He checked the wheels and they moved freely. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 10 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 210° at 8 knots. The airplane was landing runway 19.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N787TL
- Reported as
- Vans RV6
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 25819
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 657.9
- Engine
- Superior Air Parts, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 1, 2019
- Departed
- 4KS7 · Douglass, KS
- Destination
- 4KS7 · Douglass, KS
- Airport
- 4KS7 · Butler Airpark, runway 19, 2,687 × 40 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot
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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 30, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 463 total · 70 in this make and model · 368 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KIAB, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.