Van's RV6 N596JB

Summary

On 18 May 2019 at about 16:45 local time, a Van's RV6 registered N596JB was involved in an accident near Chillicothe, Ohio, 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

18 May 2019 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Chillicothe, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

39.2842, -82.8744

Aircraft

Van's RV6

Registration

N596JB

Category

Airplane

Year built

2000

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Circleville → Waverly

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN19FA144

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane following an intermittent loss of engine power during cruise flight that resulted in him impacting trees. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on the available information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed an experimental, amateur-built airplane on a cross-country flight in day visual meteorological conditions. A witness near the accident site said the airplane "engine slowed or stalled," then the engine "refired" and subsequently "stalled" Again. He then observed the airplane in a left bank turn and the engine sounded "wide open" until the airplane impacted trees and terrain. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system components were operational. Although toxicology testing detected ethanol, its presence could be attributed to postmortem production. During a flight review a few weeks before the accident, the pilot told a flight instructor that he previously had trouble with the airplane's ignition system. The flight instructor reported that there were no ignition issues during the flight review. Based on the available information, it is likely that the airplane had intermittent engine issues, which could not be replicated during postaccident examination and testing. When the engine lost power, the pilot did not maintain airplane control and impacted trees and terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.