No fatalities

30 Jul 2017: JAMES D RIGGS RV-10 NO SERIES — Lawrenceburg, TN

Lawrenceburg, TN, United States

On 30 Jul 2017, a JAMES D RIGGS RV-10 NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Lawrenceburg, TN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper landing flare and failure to maintain yaw control during a go-around in gusting wind conditions. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing, a windshear encounter led to a hard landing and bounce. The pilot's go-around attempt resulted in severe yaw and left wing impact with a ditch, causing substantial damage.

Event Sequence

A pilot reported that during the landing flare, the airplane encountered windshear and landed hard. Following the hard landing, the airplane bounced. The pilot applied power to initiate a go-around, but the airplane yawed severely to the left. The pilot responded by adding right rudder and reducing power to abort the takeoff, aiming to land back on the runway. While approximately 6 feet above ground level, the airplane continued its leftward movement, and the left wing impacted a ditch. Subsequently, the propeller struck the ground, the airplane rotated 180 degrees, and it came to rest.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Weather Information

No nearby National Weather Service reporting stations were available. An online commercial weather service provider reported that a station near the accident site, around the time of the event, recorded wind from 315 degrees at 1.6 mph, gusting to 3.4 mph. The pilot reported sky clear, visibility 10 statute miles or greater, temperature 74 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.90 inches of mercury. The pilot observed wind direction from 270 degrees at light and variable speed, gusting to 7 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 35.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotYaw control — Not attained/maintainedLanding flare — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on operationContributed to outcome