Pilot Debrief

SIGMON HARVEY E VANS RV 6 near Abingdon, VA — 2011-11-06

Final reportERA12LA100
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Date
2011-11-06
Location
Abingdon, VA, USA
Airport
VJI
Aircraft
SIGMON HARVEY E VANS RV 6
Registration
N62HS
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The failure of the Pitts pilot to see and avoid the RV-6 that had landed ahead. Contributing to the accident was the Pitts pilot's inability to hear the RV-6 pilot's radio calls due to the lack of a radio in the Pitts.

NTSB narrative

The RV-6 was equipped with a radio and the Pitts S-2C was not. Both airplanes were in the airport traffic pattern after completing a local flight, and the pilots were flying a visual approach to runway 24. The pilot of the RV-6 flew a tighter traffic pattern and made radio calls. The pilot of the Pitts flew a wider traffic pattern and did not see the RV-6 ahead and below. As the airplanes landed nearly simultaneously on runway 24, the propeller of the Pitts contacted and partially separated the empennage of the RV-6. The recorded weather at the airport, about the time of the accident, included clear skies, visibility of 10 miles, and wind from 260 degrees at 4 knots.

The RV-6 was equipped with a radio and the Pitts S-2C was not. Both airplanes were in the airport traffic pattern after completing a local flight, and the pilots were flying a visual approach to runway 24. The pilot of the RV-6 flew a tighter traffic pattern and made radio calls. The pilot of the Pitts flew a wider traffic pattern and did not see the RV-6 ahead and below. As the airplanes landed nearly simultaneously on runway 24, the propeller of the Pitts contacted and partially separated the empennage of the RV-6. The recorded weather at the airport about the time of the accident included clear skies, visibility of 10 miles, and wind from 260 degrees at 4 knots.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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