Van's RV8 N801RG

Summary

On 10 July 2010 at about 23:10 local time, a Van's RV8 registered N801RG, operated by Robert L. Gandt, was involved in an accident near Port Orange, Florida, 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

10 July 2010 at 23:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Orange, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Spruce Creek (7FL6)

Coordinates

29.0747, -81.0414

Aircraft

Van's RV8

Registration

N801RG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert L. Gandt

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Port Orange → Port Orange

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10CA352

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot/owner of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that he was conducting touch-and-go landings at the conclusion of a 30-minute local pleasure flight. he noted that the first two landings were normal, and the third touchdown was "smooth." As the pilot lowered the tailwheel, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot corrected, and the airplane made "an abrupt swerve to the right." The left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest upright in grass off the right edge of the runway. The left wing sustained substantial damage, and closer inspection of the airplane revealed that the left undercarriage outboard attachment bracket had fractured. Examination of the bracket at the NTSB Materials Laboratory indicated that the fracture was the result of overstress. In a subsequent interview, the pilot stated that he typically wore a parachute while flying, but was not wearing one during the accident flight. He stated that the absence of the parachute placed him further from the controls than he was accustomed, and that he was unable to move the rudder pedals through their full range of motion. The pilot stated that there were no deficiencies in the performance or handling of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.