Rans S6 N644RS

Summary

On 12 July 2020 at about 18:40 local time, a Rans S6 registered N644RS was involved in an accident near Richland, Washington, United States. 2 people were 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

12 July 2020 at 18:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Richland, Washington, United States

Coordinates

46.4103, -119.5856

Aircraft

Rans S6

Registration

N644RS

Category

Airplane

Year built

2018

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Yakima → Yakima

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20CA218

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inability to arrest a descent rate or maintain altitude after encountering a downdraft while maneuvering at low altitude near mountainous terrain that resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while maneuvering at low altitude on the leeward side of a ridge to follow elk, he encountered a downdraft and the airplane slightly pitched up and the airspeed decreased.  The pilot lowered the nose attitude, applied full engine power, and turned away from the hill, however the airplane's descent rate continued to increase. Near the ground, the pilot tried to flare in ground effect but the descent rate did not slow as expected and the airplane landed hard, bending the left main landing gear under the airplane and substantially damaging the left wing when it struck the ground. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.    

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.