Pilot Debrief

HARROP BLAKE RV 7 near Death Valley National Park, CA — 2018-01-14

Final reportGAA18CA103
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Date
2018-01-14
Location
Death Valley National Park, CA, USA
Airport
L06
Aircraft
HARROP BLAKE RV 7
Registration
N4163B
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the landing flare, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during the landing flare, about 2 to 3 ft above the ground, he reduced power, and the airplane aerodynamically stalled. The airplane landed hard and then bounced, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane then came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the canopy and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents2

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