- Date
- July 12, 2020, 11:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Richland, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N644RSRans S6
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200712004759A
- Case key
- 101586
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 inability to arrest a descent rate or maintain altitude after encountering a downdraft while maneuvering at low altitude near mountainous terrain that resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 5
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.
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, while maneuvering at low altitude on the leeward side of a ridge to follow elk, he encountered a downdraft and the airplane slightly pitched up and the airspeed decreased. The pilot lowered the nose attitude, applied full engine power, and turned away from the hill, however the airplane's descent rate continued to increase. Near the ground, the pilot tried to flare in ground effect but the descent rate did not slow as expected and the airplane landed hard, bending the left main landing gear under the airplane and substantially damaging the left wing when it struck the ground. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while maneuvering at low altitude on the leeward side of a ridge to follow elk, he encountered a downdraft and the airplane slightly pitched up and the airspeed decreased. The pilot lowered the nose attitude, applied full engine power, and turned away from the hill, however the airplane's descent rate continued to increase. Near the ground, the pilot tried to flare in ground effect but the descent rate did not slow as expected and the airplane landed hard, bending the left main landing gear under the airplane and substantially damaging the left wing when it struck the ground. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N644RS
- Reported as
- Rans S6 (ES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 12021475
- Built
- 2018
- Airframe hours
- 129
- Engine
- Suzuki G13BB, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 4, 2020 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- YKM · Yakima, WA
- Destination
- YKM · Yakima, WA
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- May 4, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,950 total · 129 in this make and model · 1,872 as pilot in command · 84 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KRLD, 13 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.