# NTSB WPR20LA310: Vans RV4, N250LB, Clovis, NM, September 19, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 19, 2020, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Clovis, NM - Coordinates: 34.415833, -103.14777 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4158&lon=-103.1478&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 101993 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20LA310 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101993/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101993 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA310 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain lateral control during initial climb due to distraction, which resulted in an in-flight upset and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Coelho James J RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05605XW), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Coelho James J RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=05605XW), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Coelho James J RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=05605XW), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Coelho James J RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05605XW), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Coelho James J RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=05605XW), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Coelho James J RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05605XW), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was departing from an airport when the accident occurred. During the initial climb, he became momentarily distracted when his mobile phone rang. He looked down at the phone, which was on the floor, and within 2 seconds, the airplane had rolled inverted. At this time, the pilot looked outside the cockpit and became aware of the inflight upset. He immediately recovered the airplane into an upright attitude, but the airplane impacted the ground, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that could have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On September 19, 2020, at 0945 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Vans RV-4 airplane, N250LB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Clovis, New Mexico. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot, who was interviewed about a month after the accident due to his injuries, reported that he planned a normal departure from an airport he frequently departed from when the accident occurred. Shortly after takeoff and during the initial climb phase of the flight, he received a phone call on his mobile phone, which was on the floor by his feet. He was momentary distracted as he looked down to read the caller’s name on the phone. About 2 seconds later, he looked outside the cockpit and discovered that the airplane was inverted. The pilot immediately rolled the airplane into an upright, level attitude just before the wheels impacted the ground. He was unable to recall any further events. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that could have precluded normal operation. According to a witness, the airplane began a ground roll to the south into the wind. The airplane lifted off the ground about midfield and immediately transitioned into a climb. As it reached about 100 ft above ground level, the airplane rolled to the right until it was inverted and then disappeared from the witness’ view. The witness reported that the engine sounded smooth and continuous during the accident flight. The airplane came to rest inverted about 800 ft beyond the end of the departure runway. Photographs furnished by the witness showed substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N250LB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N250LB-2022-02-02), registration cancelled 2022-02-02, S/N 77-3889 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VANS RV4 - Registry model: [Coelho James J RV-4](https://openairdocs.org/model/coelho-james-j-rv-4) (registry code 05605XW) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 77-3889 - Year built: 1998 - Airframe hours: 1095.8 - Engines: Lycoming engines IO-540-EXP 265 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Bishop Ag Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 27, 2020, 100 hours before - Departed: NM42, Clovis, NM - Destination: HBZ, Heber Springs, AR - Airport: NM42, Aero Tech Inc. Airport, runway 18, 2,640 × 148 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, unknown; last flight review July 6, 2019; seat: center; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 22,000 total, 600 in this make and model, 21,000 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.31 inHg - Observed at: KCVN, 3 nm away - METAR: KCVN 191556Z AUTO 21011KT 10SM CLR 19/09 A3031 RMK AO2 SLP235 T01940089 ## 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 20200919012309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200919012309A), Sep 19, 2020: Coelho James J RV-4, Clovis, NM, Substantial damage. The aircraft took-off to the south from the grass strip. On the day of the event, a witness on the ground reported that the aircraft climbed to approximately… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 8, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101993. 7.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11598358&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11599472&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20pilot-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation, witness (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 123 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12183873&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20witness-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 284 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11598923&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Rel.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.