# NTSB LAX02LA230: Violet Dragonfly, N48RV, Tucson, AZ, July 18, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 18, 2002, 09:49 local (16:49 UTC) - Place: Tucson, AZ - Coordinates: 32.116111, -110.941108 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1161&lon=-110.9411&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 55275 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA230 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55275/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55275 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA230 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of control resulting from his improperly planned approach and an inadvertent encounter with wake turbulence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Vortex turbulence encountered, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - wake turbulence - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis On short final approach between 50 and 75 feet above the ground, the pilot encountered wake turbulence from a MD80, which had just landed. During the wake turbulence encounter, the accident airplane suddenly rolled into a near vertical left bank, control was lost, and it crashed about 340 feet from the runway. While in the traffic pattern, the pilot had observed the approaching MD80. Air traffic control personnel advised the pilot that the local wind was from 060 degrees, at 7 knots, and the controller twice cautioned the pilot regarding wake turbulence. At 0947:24, the MD80 was about 1 mile from landing on a visual approach to runway 11L and it landed at 0948:29 . The accident pilot crashed at 0949:28, approaching parallel runway 11R. Tucson International Airport operations personnel reported that the impact site was about 340 feet short of the runway. ## Factual narrative On July 18, 2002, about 0949 mountain standard time, a Violet Dragonfly, N48RV, departed from controlled flight and impacted terrain following a wake turbulence encounter on approach to the Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona. The homebuilt experimental airplane was destroyed. The private pilot/airplane owner received minor injuries, and the pilot-rated passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operating in visual meteorological conditions under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The personal flight originated from near El Paso, Texas, about 2.8 hours earlier, about 0800 mountain daylight time. The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that while he was on the downwind leg to runway 11R, he had observed a McDonnell Douglas MD80 on final approach to runway 11L. The pilot indicated that he extended his downwind leg to provide for additional separation between his airplane and the MD80. The MD80 landed on runway 11L. According to the pilot, he proceeded inbound to runway 11R and descended between 50 and 75 feet above the ground. At that altitude, his airplane suddenly rolled into a near vertical left bank. Thereafter, control was totally lost, the pitch attitude decreased, and the airplane impacted the ground. No mechanical malfunctions were experienced with the airplane's flight control system during the flight. The pilot also stated that he believes he encountered wake turbulence from the MD80. Quality assurance personnel from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the accident airplane had been cautioned about the possibility of encountering wake turbulence from the arriving MD80. At 0947:06, a Tucson airport air traffic controller cleared N48RV to land and stated "...caution wake turbulence em dee eighty two mile final parallel runway." At 0947:24, the controller again cautioned N48RV about wake turbulence, while the MD80 was about 1 mile from the runway. About 9 seconds later, the controller informed N48RV that the wind was from 060 degrees, at 7 knots. According to the FAA, the MD80 performed a visual approach to runway 11L and landed about 0948:29. N48RV crashed about 0949:05. Tucson International Airport operations personnel reported that the impact site was about 340 feet short of the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48RV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48RV-2017-03-21), registration cancelled 2017-03-21, S/N 161, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Violet Dragonfly - Registry model: [Violet Bob W DRAGONFLY](https://openairdocs.org/model/violet-bob-w-dragonfly) (registry code 05644GF) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 161 - Airframe hours: 938 - Engines: Continental C85 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Felix J. Boston - Registered owner: Mark D. Snow - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 13, 2002, 20 hours before - Departed: T27, EL PASO, TX - Destination: TUS, Tucson, AZ - Airport: TUS, Tucson International, runway 11R, 8,408 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review July 3, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 100 total, 3 in this make and model, 100 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: TUS ## 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 20020718016569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020718016569A), Jul 18, 2002: Amtr DRAGONFLY, Tucson, AZ, No damage. (.19) On July 18, 2002, about 0950 mountain standard time, a violet Dragonfly, N48RV, departed from controlled flight and impacted terrain on approach to the… ## Other investigations on N48RV (1) 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. - [NTSB FTW93LA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA124), Apr 11, 1993: Violet Dragonfly (N48RV), Carlsbad, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CONTROL STICK ASSEMBLY AND THE SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL STICK ASSEMBLY FROM THE MOUNT ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55275. 502 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 289 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463352&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40213408&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Transcript of Radio Communications & E-Mail (item 3, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463353&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Transcript%20of%20Radio%20Communications%20%26%20E-Mail-Master.PDF - Airport Diagram (item 4, .PDF, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40213410&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Diagram-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.