Pilot Debrief

Vans VANS RV-8 near Tehachapi, CA — 2020-07-24

Final reportWPR20LA237
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Date
2020-07-24
Location
Tehachapi, CA, USA
Airport
TSP
Aircraft
Vans VANS RV-8
Registration
N138PM
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at too low of an altitude to recover.

NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported that the accident airplane made a straight-in approach to land. The airplane touched down onto the runway tailwheel first and oscillated between its tailwheel and main landing gear several times. It then tipped up onto the left main gear and turned toward the right edge of the runway surface. The pilot initiated an aborted landing and according to a witness, the airplane lifted off quickly but made a "perceivably slow" turn to a left crosswind. The nose of the airplane was "alarmingly" high, and the airplane did not appear to be accelerating. The left turn steepened as the airplane descended behind buildings in a nose-up attitude with the wings wobbling. The engine "cut out" and, almost immediately thereafter. they heard the impact. The airframe and engine examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Recorded data from the airplane was consistent with what the witnesses reported. The engine power never exceeded 67%, which is likely why the airplane did not appear to accelerate during the takeoff; however, this would not have resulted in the loss of control. Given the reported nose-high attitude and steep left turn, it is likely the pilot exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack and that it stalled at an altitude too low for the pilot to recover before it impacted the building.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing earlier to avoid loss of control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 15 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents15

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