Gadbury RV-6A N5987D

Summary

On 7 July 1999 at about 21:55 local time, a Gadbury RV-6A registered N5987D was involved in an accident near Arlington, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 July 1999 at 21:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Arlington, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Arlington Municipal (S88)

Coordinates

48.1809, -121.6709

Aircraft

Gadbury RV-6A

Registration

N5987D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA99FA105

1 person died.

The pilot's excessive climb rate, which lead to his failure to maintain an airspeed above stalling speed (Vs). Factors include the pilot's lack of total experience in the aircraft make and model.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the experimental aircraft desired to depart to the north from an airport that was about to be closed by the FAA for an airshow. He taxied to the wrong end of the runway, and then, because he was the only pilot remaining that wished to depart prior to the closure, he was allowed to back-taxi to the north on the active runway. Upon reaching the intersection he had been cleared to, the pilot made a 180 degree turn on the runway and started his takeoff roll to the south (runway 16). After a very short takeoff roll, the aircraft climbed at what was described by witnesses as an extremely steep angle, and then started a turn to the left. The aircraft's speed slowed significantly as it reached an altitude of about 100 feet above the ground, and then it stalled and the nose dropped toward the terrain. The pilot was unable to pull out of the ensuing dive, and the aircraft impacted a parallel taxiway on a track of 020 degrees. During the investigation, it was determined that the pilot, who earned his private license less than a year prior to the accident, had owned the aircraft for less than two weeks.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.