Pilot Debrief

Mayo RV-6A near Cottonwood, AZ — 2009-06-23

Final reportWPR09LA308
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Date
2009-06-23
Location
Cottonwood, AZ, USA
Airport
P52
Aircraft
Mayo RV-6A
Registration
N413RV
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin.

NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported hearing the accident airplane's engine sputter during the takeoff climb. The airplane's nose appeared to pitch down, level, then witnesses heard a high pitch revving sound emanating from the engine. The airplane rocked back-and-forth, the left wing dropped, and it entered a nose dive before impacting the ground. A postaccident inspection of the accident site revealed the airplane impacted the ground in a nose down attitude, with the propeller assembly separating from the crankshaft and becoming embedded in the hard desert dirt. An examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after engine began to sputter.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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