# NTSB WPR20CA185: Vans RV 6, N1407W, Clovis, NM, June 17, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 17, 2020, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Clovis, NM - Coordinates: 34.426666, -103.077499 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4267&lon=-103.0775&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 101456 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20CA185 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101456/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101456 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA185 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and subsequent runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s aft center of gravity at the time of the accident. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Aircraft capability: cG/weight distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Related operating info (probable cause); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061040/cases.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 66 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061040/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: weight/balance calculations](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061015/cases.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05622P6), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the landing, the airplane floated down the runway in an unusually nose high attitude. The pilot responded by abruptly lowering the nose of the airplane, and the airplane landed hard and bounced. He then increased and decreased the engine power setting and the airplane touched down hard again. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane exited the runway to the left before it came to rest upright in a grass field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts and truss. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also reported that following the accident, he calculated the weight of the baggage and determined that the airplane's center of gravity was at the aft limit. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1407W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1407W), registered now, S/N 60382 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Vans RV 6 (Undesignat) - Registry model: [Weidemueller Earl C RV-6](https://openairdocs.org/model/weidemueller-earl-c-rv-6) (registry code 05622P6) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-A1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a1a) (registry code 41594, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 60382 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 416 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 24, 2020, 10 hours before - Departed: BAZ, New Braunfels, TX - Destination: CVN, Clovis, NM - Airport: CVN, Clovis Muni, runway 22, 7,200 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 82; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 9, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 27,000 total, 420 in this make and model, 22,500 as pilot in command, 8.3 in the last 90 days, 8.3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: KCVN ## 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 20200617006199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200617006199A), Jun 17, 2020: Weidemueller Earl C RV-6, Clovis, NM, Substantial damage. On June 17, 2020, at approximately 1130 MST, a RV-6 aircraft bearing registration number N1407W, ground loop on runway 22 at Clovis Airport (cvn) Clovis, new… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 10, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101456. 918 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 732 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486813&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot Record of Conversation (item 2, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486814&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 3, .PDF, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486815&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF 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.