Kennewick Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kennewick, Washington 99336
Wednesday, September 18, 1991 9:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REDUCED POWER TO IDLE WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR THE FIRST LANDING IN THE HOMEBUILT ACFT AND THE ENGINE QUIT. HE INITIATED A FORCED LANDING AND THE ACFT IMPACTED SOFT TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. POST ACCIDENT TESTS OF THE ENGINE REVEALED LOW IDLE RPM SETTING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF POWER DUE TO THE PILOT/BUILDER'S IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE ENGINE IDLE SPEED. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City KENNEWICK
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99336
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KENNEWICK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S98
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 521
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 945 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID PSC
Elevation of weather observation facility 407
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1194
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44251
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N391DS
NTSB Number SEA91LA243
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DONALD W. SORRELS
Aircraft Model VANS RV-6
Aircraft Series Identifier VANS RV-6
Aircraft Serial Number 20206
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD W. SORRELS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 316 N. ZILLAH
Aircraft Owner City KENNEWICK
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99336
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DONALD W. SORRELS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 316 N. ZILLAH
Operator City KENNEWICK
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99336
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 3490
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --