Van's RV8 N800KE

Summary

On 12 January 2019 at about 19:15 local time, a Van's RV8 registered N800KE was involved in an accident near Langley, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 January 2019 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Langley, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Whidbey Air Park (W10)

Coordinates

48.0325, -122.4375

Aircraft

Van's RV8

Registration

N800KE

Category

Airplane

Year built

2008

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Everett → Langley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19LA062

1 person died.

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a loss of control at an altitude too low for recovery.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger departed on a personal flight to a nearby airport. Video footage captured by an on-board camera revealed that, while in the traffic pattern at a groundspeed of 77 knots, the sound of the engine's power sharply decreased, and the pilot's hand movement was consistent with a power reduction. The airplane's elevator control surfaces were consistent with the pilot commanding positive pitch to the airplane. For the next few seconds, the airplane continued in a left turn; the sound of the engine was consistent with a power increase. Shortly thereafter, the left wing dropped rapidly, and the nose of the airplane began falling through the horizon. The airplane's left bank continued to increase. The airplane descended toward the ground in a left bank about 90° until the airplane impacted terrain about 2,000 ft from the approach end of the runway. The passenger stated that the left wing "fluttered" like it stalled, and the airplane subsequently descended like a "lawn dart." The video revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane or engine. It is likely that during the turn, the pilot did not maintain sufficient airspeed and exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and subsequent impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.