Vickers-Armstrong SPITFIRE IX N633VS

Summary

On 7 July 2023 at about 15:30 local time, a Vickers-Armstrong SPITFIRE IX registered N633VS was involved in an accident near Deer Park, Washington, United States. One person was 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

7 July 2023 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Deer Park, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Deer Park (DEW)

Coordinates

47.9671, -117.4286

Aircraft

Vickers-Armstrong SPITFIRE IX

Registration

N633VS

Category

Airplane

Year built

1945

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spokane → Deer Park

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23LA268

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing with a crosswind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing roll with a 90° left crosswind at 6 kts, the airplane had a slight drift to the left after touchdown. He attempted corrective inputs by using a combination of right rudder and right brake, but the airplane continued drifting to the left and departed the runway. Subsequently, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane collided with the dirt surface, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot initially reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that a gust of wind pushed the tail of the airplane’s tail to the right. The pilot later stated he suspected the right brake had locked during landing, which he said would have reduced the braking effectiveness on the right side. Pictures of skid marks on the runway associated with the right tire show a lighter and narrower skid mark initially parallel to the runway heading, that increased in width and darkness as it turned to the left to where the airplane exited the runway. The right main tire was flat spotted and worn through about ½ the thickness of the sidewall. The airplane was not examined or secured after the accident due to the pilot’s initial assessment that there were no abnormalities or malfunctions with the airplane, and that the airplane had been affected by wind. The evidence is consistent with the pilot’s testimony that he applied right rudder and brake to counter the left turn during landing rollout with a left crosswind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.