Accident Overview
On July 27, 2012, at about 1350 central daylight time, a Vans RV-6, registration N766HS, collided with a Vans RV-4, registration N122JA, after landing at Miller Field (KVTN) in Valentine, Nebraska. The pilot of the RV-4 was seriously injured and succumbed to his injuries on August 17, 2012. The pilot of the RV-6 sustained minor injuries. Both airplanes were substantially damaged. The flights were conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flights. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plans had been filed. Both aircraft had originated from Jackson Municipal Airport (KMJQ) in Jackson, Minnesota, about 1000.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilots, a flight of four airplanes—three Vans RV-4s and one Vans RV-6—was en route from the 2012 Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to their home bases in Washington State. They had landed for fuel at KMJQ and were landing at KVTN for fuel at the time of the accident.
The pilot of the RV-6 reported that the first airplane, N49DB (an RV-4), landed on runway 14 and exited at the end. He was following the accident RV-4 (N122JA) and made S-turns on final approach for separation. He also moved to the far left side of the runway to avoid wake turbulence from N122JA. As the RV-6 crossed the runway threshold, he saw that N122JA had landed and was on rollout. He flared for a three-point landing but did not see that N122JA had moved left of the centerline. The collision followed. The pilot exited his airplane and went to aid the pilot of N122JA. He stated that when landing at other airports, all airplanes would roll out to the end of the runway and back-taxi to the ramp together, which he had expected.
Witness Accounts
The pilot of the fourth airplane, N579MS (an RV-4), observed the RV-6 making S-turns for spacing behind the RV-4. He noted that N49DB had landed and rolled to the end of runway 14, while N122JA had landed on the first third of the runway. The RV-6 was close behind, lined up left of the centerline, and beginning to touch down. N122JA slowed and started turning left at a runway intersection. The RV-6 then struck the left side of the RV-4 and cartwheeled over it, coming to rest near the RV-4. The pilot of N579MS abandoned his approach, went around, and landed uneventfully before also aiding the injured pilot.
An employee of the airport's fixed-base operator, who was in the shop, looked up and saw the RV-4 bounce up in the air. He observed that the RV-6 had already passed the RV-4 and was sliding backward. He stated that the RV-6 appeared to have struck the RV-4 behind the pilot's seat with its propeller and landing gear, nearly cutting it in half.
A Valentine police officer's report noted that he was dispatched to the airport at 1352. Upon arrival, the pilot of the RV-6 told him he did not realize the RV-4 had slowed and turned into his path.
Damage
The RV-4 was nearly cut in half. The RV-6 sustained leading edge damage to both wings, and its vertical stabilizer was twisted.