- Date
- April 28, 2004, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fredericksburg, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N999SBBolger Scott RV-6A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20040428022659A
- Case key
- 59138
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 pilots failure to maintain airspeed during a precautionary landing which resulted in an undershoot and subsequent impact with terrain. A factor was the inadequate pre-flight inspection.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After takeoff, the pilot was notified that the tow bar was still attached to the nose wheel, and he attempted to return to land. Upon turning final for the runway, the pilot extended the flaps to 40 degrees, and the airplane subsequently got too slow. Unable to make the runway, the pilot elected to perform a landing to a field. While touching down, the tow bar came in contact with the ground, and the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
On April 28, 2004, about 1630 eastern daylight time, an amateur built RV-6A, N999SB, was substantially damaged while executing a precautionary landing after departing from the Shannon Airport (EZF), Fredericksburg, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff, he was notified that the airplane's tow bar was attached and hanging from the nose wheel. The pilot remained in the traffic pattern and attempted to land on runway 6, a 2,910-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. Upon turning final, he extended the flaps to 40 degrees, and subsequently the airplane got too slow and could not make the runway. The pilot decided to land on a dirt field, west of runway 6. While touching down, the tow bar came in contact with the ground, and caused the airplane to nose over.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the landing gear, fuselage skin and nose cowl. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane.
The pilot reported 1,125 hours of total flight experience, which included about 70 hours in the same make and model of the accident airplane.
Winds reported at Shannon, at 1620 hours, were from 300 degrees at 5 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N999SB
- Reported as
- Bolger Scott RV-6A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 167
- Engine
- Lycoming O 360 A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James A. Evans
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 14, 2003 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- EZF · Fredericksburg, VA
- Destination
- EZF
- Airport
- EXF · Shannon Airport, runway 24, 2,910 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,125 total · 70 in this make and model · 1,019 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- EZF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.