# NTSB NYC04CA198: Pettigrew, Richard RV-6A, N524JN, Williamstown, NJ, August 28, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 28, 2004, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Williamstown, NJ - Coordinates: 39.655555, -75.014442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6556&lon=-75.0144&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-17 - NTSB case key (mKey): 59998 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04CA198 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59998/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04CA198 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear - collapsed ## Analysis The airplane was on approach to a 2,400-foot-long, 80-foot-wide, turf runway. The pilot reported that everything seemed normal until the airplane settled hard and "dropped" onto the runway. The airplane's empennage struck the ground, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane flipped over. A pilot-rated passenger reported that the pilot started to flare "a little too high," and the airplane stalled about 10 to 12 feet above the ground. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems. ## Factual narrative On August 28, 2004, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt RV-6A, N524JN, was substantially damaged while landing at the Southern Cross Airport, Williamstown, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported he was on approach to runway 27, a 2,400-foot-long, 80-foot-wide, turf runway. He felt that the airplane was too high and too fast, and performed a go-around. During his second approach, everything seemed normal until the airplane settled hard and "dropped" onto the runway. The airplane's empennage struck the ground, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane flipped over. The passenger reported that the pilot started to flare "a little too high," and the airplane stalled about 10 to 12 feet above the ground. The pilot reported 529 hours of total flight experience, which included about 6 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. He did not report any mechanical problems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N524JN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N524JN), registered now, S/N 23598, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Pettigrew, Richard RV-6A - Registry model: [Pettigrew Richard B VANS ACFT RV6A](https://openairdocs.org/model/pettigrew-richard-b-vans-acft-rv6a) (registry code 05604GD) (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: 23598 - Airframe hours: 687 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: William C. Labs - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, July 1, 2004, 7 hours before - Departed: CGE, Cambridge, MD - Destination: C01, Williamstown, NJ - Airport: C01, Southern Cross, runway 27, 2,700 × 80 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 29, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 529 total, 6 in this make and model, 427 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: PHL, 19 nm away ## 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 20040828022359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040828022359A), Aug 28, 2004: Amtr RV6A, Williamstown, NJ, Substantial damage. (-23) Landing on a grass airfield, the aircraft flared and the tail struck the ground. The aircraft lunged forward, the nose gear dug into the ground, and the… 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.