Harshbarger W/Reed RV-8 N863Y

Summary

On 20 June 2003 at about 21:25 local time, a Harshbarger W/Reed RV-8 registered N863Y was involved in an accident near Grants Pass, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 June 2003 at 21:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Grants Pass, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Grants Pass (3S8)

Coordinates

42.4997, -123.3769

Aircraft

Harshbarger W/Reed RV-8

Registration

N863Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grants Pass → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA03FA110

1 person died.

Corrosion and contamination within the fuel servo unit and the pilot's delayed turn back to the runway. Contributing factors were trees and the pilot's impairment due to prescription medication.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot/builder of the RV-8, in preparation for the sale of the aircraft, had been conducting taxi tests and power checks for several days before the accident. Additionally, the aircraft had not been flown in about a year. On the afternoon of the accident he departed runway 30 and shortly thereafter radioed that he was having engine problems and was going to try to make it back to the airport. Witnesses observed the aircraft midfield on downwind at the time these transmissions were made but the aircraft continued well past the abeam position and did not commence the base turn until about one-half mile beyond the abeam position. The aircraft struck scrub trees at the midspan location of each wing and then crashed in a lightly wooded area approximately 3,300 feet short of the threshold of runway 30. The cockpit interior space sustained no deformation or space reduction with the exception of an impact at the top edge of the aluminum glare shield, and the instrument panel was intact with no broken/cracked instrument glass. The pilot was found with his seatbelt fastened and his shoulder harness unfastened and behind him at the accident site. A review of the pilot's personal medical records revealed that the pilot was taking amitriptyline (a prescription antidepressant also known by the trade name Elavil) for insomnia, and hydrocodone (a prescription narcotic) for chronic abdominal pain. Nortriptyline (a prescription antidepressant and metabolite of amitriptyline) was found at very high levels in the pilot's blood. In addition, a low level of doxylamine (an over-the-counter sleep aid) was detected in the pilots blood and amitriptyline, nortriptyline, doxylamine, hydrocodone, and metabolites of hydrocodone were detected in his urine. Post-crash examination revealed no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft's powerplant, systems or controls with the exception of the aircraft's Bendix fuel servo which, upon disassembly, was found to have extensive internal corrosion and contamination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.