Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary ATL99LA068

CEDAR CREEK, NC, USA

Aircraft #1

N239RB

VANS RV-6A

Analysis

Shortly after takeoff visibility deteriorated, and the pilot decided to land at an airport short of his destination. When the visibility worsened, the pilot decided to make a precautionary landing on a private grass strip. Upon landing the runway surface, the turf was soft, and the airplane nosed over. No mechanical problems with the aircraft were reported by the pilot.

Factual Information

On April 5, 1999, about 1130 eastern daylight time, an experimental VANS RV-6A airplane, N239RV, nosed over while attempting a landing on a private grass strip near Fayetteville, North Carolina. The personal flight was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual Meteorological Conditions prevailed at the accident site with no flight plan filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and pilot received minor injuries. The flight departed Rocky Mount, North Carolina, at 1015 enroute to Ft. Myers, Florida. According to the pilot, at 0600, he telephoned the Flight Service Station requested a weather briefing. weather. At 0600, the flight departed from Warwick, New York, enroute to Ft. Myers, Florida. When the flight departed visual weather conditions prevailed, with no ceiling. At 0820, the flight approached the Cheasepeake Bay area, where weather conditions changed and there was an overcast layer of clouds 12,000 feet. The pilot decided to land at Easton, Maryland for refueling, and the pilot received an update of his initial weather briefing; weather conditions were described as "good." At 1015, the flight landed at Rocky Mount, North Carolina where he again refueled and checked computerized weather. Shortly after departing Rocky Mount, visibility began to deteriorate, and the pilot decided to land at Greys Creek, North Carolina. When the visibility worsened, the pilot decided to make a precautionary landing on a private grass strip. Upon landing on the runway surface, the pilot discovered that the turf was soft, and the airplane nosed over. No mechanical problems with the aircraft were reported by the pilot.

Probable Cause and Findings

The soft runway surface.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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