Grants Pass Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
Friday, December 29, 2006 14:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The passenger reported that the experimental amateur-built airplane was in cruise flight about 12 miles from the airport when a bird impacted the propeller, and the airplane started shaking and vibrating violently. The flight returned to the airport, and the pilot entered the traffic pattern for landing. The airplane was high and fast on final for runway 30, and when it was about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way down the runway, the pilot decided to go around. When the throttle was advanced, the engine ran rough and did not produce power. During the go around attempt, the airplane entered a stall and subsequently impacted terrain about 500 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed that one blade of the experimental wooden propeller was broken off at the hub, and the other blade was broken off at approximately midspan. Wood fragments identified as being from a propeller blade were found at the accident site. Laboratory examination of the remaining portion of the propeller and the recovered blade fragments indicated the fragments were from the blade that was broken off at the hub, and this blade likely fractured as a result of ground impact. The fracture features found on the blade that separated near midspan were consistent with a traumatic event such as an in-flight bird strike. No obvious signs of bird residue were noted on the propeller, but the loss of the outboard portion of the blade prevented examination of this part of the propeller.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during performance of a go-around, resulting in an inadvertent stall and subsequent in flight collision with the ground. A contributing factor was the in-flight loss of a portion of one propeller blade.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/2006
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Grants Pass
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97526
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 423037N
Event Location Longitude 1232317W
Event Location Airport Grants Pass
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3S8
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1126
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SXT
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.25
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21832
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2007 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland, OR

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N234RV
NTSB Number SEA07LA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Averyt
Aircraft Model Vans RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 234
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Howell D. Averyt
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Williams
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 3S8
Departure City Grants Pass
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 3S8
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 13 2007 3:46PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 3999
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --