# NTSB LAX04LA269: Newell RV-6A, N16TN, San Jose, CA, July 16, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 16, 2004, 16:58 local (23:58 UTC) - Place: San Jose, CA - Coordinates: 37.332778, -121.819725 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3328&lon=-121.8197&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 59694 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04LA269 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59694/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA269 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of the airplane's distance/speed during a precautionary landing, which resulted in the airplane overrunning the runway. Contributing factors were failure of an oil line, and the fence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - lubricating system,oil line - failure,total (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Overrun, landing - roll - distance/speed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - fence (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane impacted an airport perimeter fence after the pilot landed long during a precautionary landing. The airplane was in cruise flight when the pilot noticed a loss of oil pressure and an increase in oil temperature. He assumed the engine was losing or had lost its oil and elected to make a precautionary landing at a nearby airport. The pilot reported he landed long and could not stop the airplane prior to the end of the 3,101-foot runway. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed the oil line, from the oil cooler to the engine, failed. The pilot indicated the line was not an aircraft quality line. ## Factual narrative On July 16, 2004, at 1658 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Newell RV-6A airplane, N16TN, overran the runway and impacted a perimeter fence during a precautionary landing at the Reid Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV), San Jose, California. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the cross-country flight. The flight originated from San Luis Obispo, California, approximately one hour prior to the accident, and was destined for Hayward, California. During a telephone interview conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot said the airplane was in cruise flight over RHV when he noticed the oil pressure gauge was reading low and was getting lower. He monitored the oil temperature gauge and noticed it was indicating a higher than normal temperature. The pilot concluded he was losing, or had lost, engine oil, and elected to declare an emergency and conduct a precautionary landing at RHV. During landing, the pilot said he "landed long," and could not stop the airplane prior to overrunning the end of runway 31R (3,101 feet long). The airplane impacted an airport perimeter fence and came to rest upright. The pilot reported the airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, along with damage to the nose landing gear and the propeller. He examined the engine following the accident and noticed the oil line (from the oil cooler to the engine) had a "big leak." The pilot reported the engine's previous performance was "excellent," and he did not notice any abnormal oil consumption rates. The airplane was stored in a hangar and he never noticed any oil on the hangar floor prior to the accident. According to the pilot, the airplane accumulated a total of 598.2 hours of flight time. The last inspection of the airplane was conducted on May 13, 2004, 16.6 hours prior to the accident. In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2), under the section titled, "How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented", the pilot indicated that the use of aircraft certified hoses could have helped prevent the failure of the oil line. The pilot noted that amateur-built airplanes do not require the use of FAA certified parts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N16TN](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N16TN-2005-09-29), registration cancelled 2005-09-29, S/N 22305, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Newell RV-6A - Registry model: [Newell Thomas J RV6A](https://openairdocs.org/model/newell-thomas-j-rv6a) (registry code 05605Z0) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 22305 - Airframe hours: 598.2 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard E. Crowe - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 13, 2004, 16.6 hours before - Departed: RHV, San Luis Obispo, CA - Destination: HWD, Hayward, CA - Airport: RHV, Reid Hill View Airport, runway 31R, 3,101 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 6, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 1,706 total, 79 in this make and model, 1,548 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 12 knots - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 15,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: RHV ## 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 20040716018389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040716018389A), Jul 16, 2004: Amtr RV6A, San Jose, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 16, 2004, at 1658 PDT, an experimental amateur-built newell RV-6A airplane, N16TN, overran the runway and impacted the perimeter fence during a… ## Other investigations on N16TN (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 LAX05LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA134), Apr 12, 2005: Newell Thomas RV6-A (N16TN), Hayward, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel system contamination. A factor in the accident was the fuel system not being flushed out after it was involved in a previous accident where the fuel tanks were… 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.