Onalaska - Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Onalaska, Washington 98570
Friday, March 5, 2010 15:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was landing the airplane at a privately-owned grass airstrip. He stated that the airplane bounced on landing and that during the rollout the nosewheel "clogged" with dirt, dug into the soft dirt, then collapsed rearward. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's bounced landing on a soft turf runway, resulting in a collapsed nose landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/5/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Onalaska
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98570
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 463409N
Event Location Longitude 1223706W
Event Location Airport Onalaska - Private
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26745
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC Seattle
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2010 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N164LT
NTSB Number WPR10CA151
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name TARANTOLA LEONARD
Aircraft Model RV-6A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 21633
Certified Max Gross Weight 1632
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection May 15 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1042
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name DECKER RICHARD A
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ONALASKA
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98570-9446
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name DECKER RICHARD A
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ONALASKA
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 98570-9446
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code KCLS
Departure City Chehalis
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Onalaska
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2010 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 1100
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --