Vans Aircraft Vans RV-6 accident near Stockbridge, Georgia, August 20, 2007
On August 20, 2007 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Vans Aircraft Vans RV-6, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N345JE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stockbridge, Georgia (Grant airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2007 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stockbridge, Georgia · Grant · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft Vans RV-6, amateur-built
- Registration
- N345JE · registry record · serial 20847
- 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 departed from Savannah International Airport, Savannah, Georgia, on a cross-country flight to his private strip in Stockbridge, Georgia. He said that during the landing roll at his private strip, he lost control of the airplane and collided with a tree. He further stated that when he examined his airplane, he noted that the leading edge of the right inboard wing was damaged. Also, he observed that the vertical stabilizer was bent slightly to the right. However, he did not feel that the airplane was substantially damaged so he decided not to report the accident. Furthermore, he said that he knew his brakes were not in the best condition, because if they were, he would have avoided the accident. The pilot felt that his airplane was still airworthy, so he flew the airplane over to Air Services Incorporated, Carrollton, Georgia to be repaired. While at the Air Services repair shop, an FAA inspector discovered that the airplane was substantially damaged. Inspection by the FAA inspector also revealed that the right wing forward spar was buckled, and the vertical stabilizer was bent approximately 45-degrees to the right.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 32,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2007; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 3GA0 Stockbridge GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from KATL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N345JE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.