- Date
- November 21, 2006, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Nokesville, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5779Baggett RV6A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Washington, DC
- FAA report
- 20061121028189A
- Case key
- 64906
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 inadequate compenstation for a crosswind while landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
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
The pilot/owner of the amateur-built RV6A airplane stated that it was his first landing attempt in the airplane at his home airport. The runway was oriented east/west on rolling terrain with several "undulations" along its length. The pilot explained that his usual technique was to touchdown on the upslope of the first undulation, become airborne "briefly" over the crest, then touchdown again on the downslope and complete the landing on the runway. He had performed this landing "many times" in his 2,400-pound Grumman Cheetah. While landing the 1,500-pound RV6A, the pilot closed the throttle at touchdown on the upslope, crested the rise, and climbed "much higher than my previous aircraft." The airplane remained airborne a greater distance down the runway than usual, and a "strong crosswind blew it" off the south side of the runway where it landed and subsequently struck a tree. The pilot reported 196 total hours of flight experience, 7 hours of which were in make and model. He also reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. The winds reported 5 miles east were from 030 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 14 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot/owner of the amateur-built RV6A airplane stated that it was his first landing attempt in the airplane at his home airport. The runway was oriented east/west on rolling terrain with several "undulations" along its length. The pilot explained that his usual technique was to touch down on the upslope of the first undulation, become airborne "briefly" over the crest, then touch down again on the downslope and complete the landing on the runway. He had performed this landing "many times" in his 2,400-pound Grumman Cheetah. While landing the 1,500-pound RV6A, the pilot closed the throttle at touchdown on the upslope, crested the rise, and climbed "much higher than my previous aircraft." The airplane remained airborne a greater distance down the runway than usual, and a "strong crosswind blew it" off the south side of the runway where it landed and subsequently struck a tree. The pilot reported 196 total hours of flight experience, 7 hours of which were in make and model. He also reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. The winds reported 5 miles east were from 030 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 14 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5779
- Reported as
- Baggett RV6A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 60004
- Airframe hours
- 199
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James F. Gilmore
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 1, 2006 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- KCJR · Culpeper, VA
- Destination
- 51VA · Nokesville, VA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 51VA · Skyview, runway 27, 2,000 × 150 ft, grass/turf
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
- Flight hours
- 196 total · 7 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- HEF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.