# NTSB WPR23LA070: Vans RV6, N78HJ, Afton, WY, December 18, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: December 18, 2022, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Afton, WY
- Coordinates: 42.708771, -110.94217 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7088&lon=-110.9422&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- 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): 106476
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA070
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106476/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106476
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA070

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control during landing on a contaminated runway.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Object/animal/substance: snow/ice](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022060): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [O'Bryon Hal O'BRYON RV-6A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022060/cases.md?model=0561766), [All aircraft, 67 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022060/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [O'Bryon Hal O'BRYON RV-6A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0561766), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [O'Bryon Hal O'BRYON RV-6A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=0561766), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [O'Bryon Hal O'BRYON RV-6A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0561766), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was planning to complete a touch and go landing on the same runway he departed from 15 minutes earlier, which contained patches of snow and ice. When the airplane touched down, it encountered a patch of ice and skidded left. The plane collided with snow then nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N78HJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N78HJ-2023-11-10), registration cancelled 2023-11-10, S/N 21043, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VANS RV6
- Registry model: [O'Bryon Hal O'BRYON RV-6A](https://openairdocs.org/model/o-bryon-hal-o-bryon-rv-6a) (registry code 0561766) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 21043
- Year built: 2004
- Airframe hours: 728
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-D1A 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, January 15, 2022, 29 hours before
- Departed: KAFO, Afton, WY
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: AFO, Afton Municipal Airport, runway 34, 7,025 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 79; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; last flight review December 18, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,611 total, 505 in this make and model, 1,542 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 3 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observed at: KAFO
- METAR: METAR KAFO 182155Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M16/M18 A2988

## 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 20221218021869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221218021869A), Dec 18, 2022: O'Bryon Hal O'BRYON RV-6A, Afton, WY, Substantial damage. Pilot intended to perform a touch and go landing to runway 34. Approxiamately 20 feet down the center of the runway was clear, but with patches of snow and…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106476. 7.4 MB in all.

- Photos (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 600 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15447377&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photograph-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 5.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15534713&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20N78HJ_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (partial) (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15584191&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N23FD%20Owner%206120%20partial-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.

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