N20342 – Schmidt RV7A – 2006-04-26 NTSB Accident Report

On April 26, 2006, a Schmidt RV7A (N20342) was involved in an incident near Northport, WA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare/touchdown. Factors contributing to the accident included the gusty wind and soft terrain conditions which resulted in the aircraft nosing over during the landing roll.

The pilot reported that while attempting to land on Runway 23, at about 20 feet above the ground and 200 feet from the end the runway, he experienced a strong gust of wind, which forced the airplane to the runway and the nose strut to fail. The pilot stated that as the airplane slowed and he exited the runway to the south side, soft ground was encountered, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. The pilot estimated the wind at the time of the accident was 220 degrees at 20 to 25 knots.

This incident is documented in NTSB report SEA06CA086. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N20342.