WPR12CA187

NTSB accident investigation · Glass Roy L RV-6 · Coolidge, AZ · April 27, 2012

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 27, 2012, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
Place
Coolidge, AZ
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N164RGGlass Roy L RV-6
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 28, 2012
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20120427008559A
Case key
83499

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedGlass Roy L RV-6: 1 caseAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotGlass Roy L RV-6: 1 caseAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot reported that he was demonstrating stop-and-go landings to his passenger. During the second landing roll, the airplane began to swerve to the right. The pilot applied left rudder pedal and pulled the control stick aft. The airplane then ground looped to the left and came to rest upright. The rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was demonstrating stop-and-go takeoffs and landings to his passenger. During the second landing roll, the airplane began to swerve to the right. The pilot applied left rudder pedal and pulled the control stick aft. The airplane then ground looped to the left and came to rest upright. The rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N164RG
Reported as
Glass Roy L RV-6
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
60266
Airframe hours
447
Engine
Lycoming O-320-D1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · December 1, 2011 · 32 hours before
Departed
FFZ · Mesa, AZ
Destination
P08 · Coolidge, AZ
Airport
P08 · Coolidge, runway 05, 5,528 × 150 ft, asphalt

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
57
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 10, 2011
Seat
Left
Flight hours
762 total · 546 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 41 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
CGZ, 17 nm away

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.