Walling VANS RV-3 N34WC
28 March 2012 · Larchwood, Iowa, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 28 March 2012 at about 17:30 local time, a Walling VANS RV-3 registered N34WC, operated by Robert A. Akins, was involved in an accident near Larchwood, Iowa, United States. One person was on board and one 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 17:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Larchwood, Iowa, United States
- Nearest airport
- Zangger Vintage Airport (K2VA)
- Coordinates
- 43.4514, -96.4058
- Aircraft
- Walling VANS RV-3
- Registration
- N34WC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Robert A. Akins
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Tea → Larchwood
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN12LA209
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane after landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
After landing, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway into an adjacent corn field, where it nosed over and came to rest inverted. The canopy and vertical stabilizer were crushed. A toxicology screen revealed the presence of fluoxetine (Prozac, an antidepressant); norfluoxetine (a metabolite of fluoxetine); and trazodone (a tranquilizer). These drugs carry the warning that they may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks and are contraindicated for flight. On his most recent application for medical certification, the pilot did not report taking these medications. Although the presence of these medications and the conditions for which they were prescribed posed an increased hazard to flight safety, it could not be determined if the pilot was experiencing any side effects from the medications at the time of the accident. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb 2012 | Crain Jac A BD-4 | Clarinda, Iowa, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Aug 2012 | Cessna 560XL | Des Moines, Iowa, United States | Elliott Aviation Flight Services Inc | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jun 2012 | Quicksilver SPORT II | Manchester, Iowa, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 Jul 2012 | Piper PA-32-300 | Elkader, Iowa, United States | Wild River Flying Club, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Jul 2012 | Robinson R44 II | Red Oak, Iowa, United States | Johnson Helicopter Services, LLC. | No injuries | - |
| 28 Nov 2012 | Taylorcraft BC12-D | Clutier, Iowa, United States | William A. Konicek | Fatal | 1 |