Rowan County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salisbury, North Carolina 28147
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 11:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, the airplane had about 9 total flight hours. He performed a touch-and-go landing, and during the departure, the flaps would not retract. During the next attempt to land, the airplane was not positioned properly, so the pilot performed a go-around. On the following attempt to land, the pilot began a straight-in approach about 3 miles from the runway. On touchdown, the airplane's nose impacted the runway and the nose gear collapsed. As the airplane slowed, the pilot intentionally veered the airplane into the grass next to the runway to avoid remaining on, and thus closing, the runway. The nose gear dug into the soft terrain, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. Examination of the flap system revealed a blown fuse; no other preimpact malfunction or abnormality was found that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and his subsequent decision to exit the paved runway onto the soft terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/2013
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Salisbury
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28147
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 353827N
Event Location Longitude 0803108W
Event Location Airport Rowan County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RUQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 772
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1135 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RUQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 772
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.21
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31441
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern C-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 6 2013 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N439RP
NTSB Number ERA13CA206
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name POOLE ROBERT C JR
Aircraft Model Van's
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-9A
Aircraft Serial Number 91603
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 9
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT C POOLE JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SALISBURY
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28146-7880
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name ROBERT C POOLE JR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SALISBURY
Operator State NC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 28146-7880
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code RUQ
Departure City Salisbury
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code RUQ
Destination City Salisbury
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 6 2013 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 5501
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --