Thompson RV-6 N140RV

Summary

On 20 September 2012 at about 18:15 local time, a Thompson RV-6 registered N140RV was involved in an accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 September 2012 at 18:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Pagosa Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Stevens Field Airport (PSO)

Coordinates

37.2864, -107.0558

Aircraft

Thompson RV-6

Registration

N140RV

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Las Vegas → Pagosa Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA668

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of landing experience at high density altitudes.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that since there was no appreciable wind he chose the landing runway because of its slight upslope. He reported that he made an uneventful wheel-landing, with the wing flaps partially extended, and that he was able to maintain directional control until the tailwheel made contact with the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane immediately began to swerve left after the tailwheel contacted the runway. He reportedly overcorrected and the airplane swerved to the right. The pilot overcorrected for a second time and the airplane swerved left. The pilot’s attempts to regain directional control were unsuccessful and the airplane departed off the left side of the runway. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing impacted terrain during the runway excursion. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He postulated that the airplane’s elevated true airspeed and ground speed, due to the high density altitude conditions, contributed to his inability to maintain directional control during landing roll. He further noted that he was unaccustomed with landing at high density altitudes and that the accident might have been prevented had he performed a full-stall (three-point) landing instead of a wheel-landing. The calculated density altitude was 10,081 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.