Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Laurel, Maryland, June 23, 2007
On June 23, 2007 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-6A, registered N526W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laurel, Maryland (Suburban 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 pilot's improper landing flare resulting in an inadvertent stall and hard landing, which resulted in the airplane sliding off the runway and nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2007 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel, Maryland · Suburban Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A
- Registration
- N526W · registry record · serial 21967
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on runway 21 and stated that he was high and the airspeed was fast. The pilot raised the nose to bleed off airspeed and altitude was between 10 to 15 feet. The airplane stalled, the nose wheel collided with the runway, the airplane bounced, contacted the runway and started sliding. The airplane departed the right side of the runway, and nosed over inverted. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 717 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 564 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 327 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 1, 2007; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,725 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W18 Laurel MD
- Destination: W18
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,324 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from KBWI, 9 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.