Amateur-built VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-6 accident near Kingston, Tennessee, April 19, 1993
On April 19, 1993 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-6, registered N316DD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kingston, Tennessee (Meadowlake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty wind conditions. A factor was the wind gust of 20-25 knots.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1993 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kingston, Tennessee · Meadowlake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-6 VAN'S AIRC
- Registration
- N316DD · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PILOT WHO WAS IN AN AIRPLANE ON THE GROUND AWAITING TAKEOFF SAW THE AIRPLANE ON AN ANGLING BASE FOR RUNWAY 23. HE DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE AS BEING CLOSE IN, IN A LEFT TURN FROM THE BASE LEG TO THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND ENTERED A SPIN. AFTERWARDS HE SAW WATER FROM THE LAKE, OFF THE APPROACH END OF 23, SPLASH UP. THE AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS GUSTY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, ABOUT 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 KNOTS. AN ENTRY IN THE AIRCRAFT LOG REPORTED THE STALL CHARACTERISTICS AS SLIGHT BUFFET, THEN A LEFT WING DROP AT ABOUT 45 KNOTS IAS, FLAPS EXTENDED OR RETRACTED.
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
- Flight time: 466 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 58 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 12:17 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,600 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from TYS, 25 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.
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.