Amateur-built Newton RV-6A accident near Mooresville, North Carolina, March 13, 2006
On March 13, 2006 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Newton RV-6A, registered N57ME, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mooresville, North Carolina (Miller Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collapse of the nose landing gear for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2006 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mooresville, North Carolina · Miller Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Newton RV-6A
- Registration
- N57ME · no longer on the register · serial 25829
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he made a normal approach to runway 36, which is a 2,000-foot smooth grass runway. During the touchdown the airplane skipped slightly and then touched down normally. The pilot stated that during the roll out everything was normal until the nose started to drop. He applied full up elevator but could not arrest the descent of the nose. The airplane slid approximately 40 feet and then nosed over. After he exited the airplane and examined the nose gear he found that the nose gear was bent aft. Further examination revealed that there was a dead rabbit just prior to where the nose gear started making a trench in the grass. The airplane came to a stop in the center of the runway with approximately 900 feet remaining on the runway. The pilot did not report any malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. The nose landing gear was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board materials laboratory for further examination. The wheel was removed, dissembled, and examined. Due to the reported animal impact of the nose landing gear, a swab was taken from the inside wheel fairing. A phenolphthalein presumptive blood test was performed on the swab, and the result was positive for blood.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,500 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 15,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 291 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005; 291 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NC30 Mooresville NC at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,060 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:38 pm from KRUQ, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.