# NTSB WPR26LA265: Vans RV-7A, N987CW, Covington, WA, July 17, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 17, 2026, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place: Covington, WA · Crest
- Coordinates: 47.337292, -122.10364 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.3373&lon=-122.1036&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: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 3, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203416
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA265
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203416/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203416
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA265

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper pitch control during landing, which resulted in a bounced landing, nose landing gear collapse, and nose over.

## Findings

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

- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Wilson Charlie H VANS RV 7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=05617GC), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Wilson Charlie H VANS RV 7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05617GC), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Wilson Charlie H VANS RV 7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=05617GC), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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: [Wilson Charlie H VANS RV 7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=05617GC), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Wilson Charlie H VANS RV 7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05617GC), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Wilson Charlie H VANS RV 7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05617GC), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that during landing, the airplane began to porpoise. The nose landing gear subsequently collapsed, and the airplane veered off side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N987CW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N987CW), registered now, S/N 71185, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VANS RV-7A
- Registry model: [Wilson Charlie H VANS RV 7A](https://openairdocs.org/model/wilson-charlie-h-vans-rv-7a) (registry code 05617GC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 71185
- Year built: 2004
- Airframe hours: 748
- Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, July 15, 2026, 1 hours before
- Departed: 51WA, Black Diamond, WA
- Destination: S36, Covington, WA
- Airport: S36, Crest Airfield, runway 16/34, 3,288 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 83; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 3, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 32,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: KSEA, 5 nm away
- METAR: METAR KSEA 171753Z 20007KT 10SM FEW024 SCT030 SCT045 17/09 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP183 T01720089 10189 20144 51004 $

## 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 20260717011399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260717011399A), Jul 17, 2026: Wilson Charlie H VANS RV-7A, Kent, WA, Substantial damage. Departure was from 51WA, evergreen airport and destination was S36, Crest Airpark for gas. Weather was clear, light and variable winds landing to the south,…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 3, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203416. 2.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20697846&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR26LA265%206120%20Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 431 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20697252&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR26LA265%20Photo%20Array%20508%20Comp.-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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