Van's VANS RV 4 N319RL
29 May 2019 · Green Cove Springs, Florida, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 29 May 2019 at about 14:45 local time, a Van's VANS RV 4 registered N319RL was involved in an accident near Green Cove Springs, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Green Cove Springs, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 29.9578, -81.7272
- Aircraft
- Van's VANS RV 4
- Registration
- N319RL
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2008
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Green Cove Springs → Green Cove Springs
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA19FA183
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The failure of each pilot to maintain separation from the other airplane during intentional maneuvers within close proximity of each other.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
According to the pilot of the yellow airplane, the purpose of the flight was to check the accuracy of his airspeed indicator while flying alongside the red airplane. After completing the airspeed indicator check, the pilots of both airplanes began to conduct flight maneuvers that the pilot of the yellow airplane referred to as a “tail chase.” After a few minutes of maneuvering and one visual lead change to the red airplane, both airplanes were on a southerly heading. The pilot of the yellow airplane called off the “tail chase” and made a gradual left turn, then a few banked heading changes to the northeast before settling on an easterly heading in a gradual descent. He stated that, while descending, he suddenly saw the red airplane directly in front of him, nose-to-nose. The airplanes collided, and he saw the red airplane descend to the ground. The pilot of the yellow airplane noted that his airplane was vibrating violently and he made a forced landing in a pasture. Examination of the wreckage area revealed that the red airplane came to rest 4 miles northwest of the departure airport. The yellow airplane came to rest 2 miles east-northeast of the red airplane and about 5 miles north of the departure airport. Examination of the yellow airplane revealed red paint transfer marks on a 6-inch-deep, 17-inch-wide semicircle on the leading edge of the left wing. There were also red paint transfers on the lower outboard section of the right-wing leading edge. Examination of the red airplane revealed yellow paint transfers on the lower part of the rudder. A 3-ft tire skid mark was found on top of the empennage and ended at the vertical stabilizer. Examination of the flight controls and engines of both airplanes did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicological testing of tissue samples from the pilot of the red airplane indicated that he had taken some cough and cold medications. From the levels of the substances observed in tissue samples, it could not be determined if, or to what extent, the pilot may have been impaired by them. The pilots of the airplanes were intentionally maneuvering their airplanes within close proximity to each other. After losing sight of each other, the pilots then unintentionally maneuvered the airplanes such that they approached each other nearly head-on and collided.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van's VANS RV 4 UNDESIGNAT | N319RL | - | Destroyed |
| Van's RV4 UNDESIGNAT | N203DD | - | Substantial |
Other Van's VANS accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Sep 2019 | Van's VANS RV-10 | Lancaster, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Apr 2019 | Van's VANS RV-12 | Wall, South Dakota, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Jun 2019 | Van's VANS ACFT RV 6 | Culpepper, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jan 2020 | Van's VANS RV-6 | Cullman, Alabama, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 11 Sep 2018 | Van's VANS RV 8 | Carson, Nevada, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 2020 | Van's VANS RV-8 | Tehachapi, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug 2019 | Piper PA28 | Miami, Florida, United States | Osorio Aviation Corp | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2019 | Beechcraft 35 | Fort Myers, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Nov 2019 | Bushby BUSHBY MUSTANG M II | Milton, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Nov 2019 | Beechcraft E35 | Okeechobee, Florida, United States | Spaceport Aviation | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Sep 2019 | Van's RV 6 | Lakeland, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Aug 2019 | Cessna 152 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | American Flight Training LLC | No injuries | - |