N32SN

Substantial
Minor

SHANNON WILLIAM RV6AS/N: 23805

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
NTSB Number
ERA15CA100
Location
Pikeville, KY
Event ID
20150115X33904
Coordinates
37.561943, -82.566390
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing, and his subsequent flight into icing conditions, which resulted in the accumulation of ice on the airframe.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N32SN
Make
SHANNON WILLIAM
Serial Number
23805
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2001
Model / ICAO
RV6ARV6
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
LEE BRANDON
Address
16020 N 30TH DR
Status
Deregistered
City
PHOENIX
State / Zip Code
AZ 85053-4018
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot had purchased the airplane the day prior, and was returning to his home airport when he elected to stop at an intermediate airport for fuel. After crossing the runway threshold, the pilot reduced engine power and entered the landing flare. He felt the airplane "balloon up slightly, then stall and drop around 15 feet" onto the runway. The airplane impacted the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane subsequently ran off the side of the runway, where it came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder. Photographs of the airplane taken by the airport manager following the accident depicted the presence of rime ice along the leading edges of the wings, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that he had not obtained a weather briefing, but had conducted a cursory review of enroute weather via an online vendor prior to the flight, and was not aware of icing conditions along his intended route of flight. He also stated there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA15CA100