Bernhard VANS RV8 N901X
17 June 2010 · Truckee, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 17 June 2010 at about 21:08 local time, a Bernhard VANS RV8 registered N901X was involved in an accident near Truckee, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:08
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Truckee, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Truckee-Tahoe Airport (TRK)
- Coordinates
- 39.3119, -120.1219
- Aircraft
- Bernhard VANS RV8
- Registration
- N901X
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Truckee → Truckee
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR10LA297
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during a steep turn to final approach, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Several ground and airborne witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering to land on runway 28. One ground witness stated that the airplane continued on the base leg for that runway beyond the point where a turn to final approach would normally begin and then made a steep left turn in an apparent turn back to the final approach. Another witness (a pilot who was taxiing after landing on runway 28) referred to this turn as a “knife edge” turn and stated that the airplane’s turn continued to steepen as the airplane dove toward the ground. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot was attempting to compensate for overshooting the final approach and increased the bank angle to bring the airplane back to the final approach for the runway. The airplane subsequently stalled and collided with terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun 2010 | Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B | Courtland, California, United States | Walter Avery | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 2010 | Cessna 172P | Camarillo Airport, California, United States | Channel Islands Aviation Inc | No injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 2010 | Piper PA-30 | Merced, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Oct 2010 | Robinson R22 BETA | Long Beach, California, United States | Temco Sky Networks | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Jun 2010 | Rans COYOTE II S6 | Lincoln, California, United States | Michael S. Gorden | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Oct 2010 | Boeing A75N1(PT17) | Palm Springs, California, United States | Kent Thomas | No injuries | - |