From Here To There Pdq INC RV-8 accident near Tea, South Dakota, August 16, 2009
On August 16, 2009 at about 7:11 pm local time, a From Here To There Pdq INC RV-8, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N98AW, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (aerobatics) near Tea, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during recovery from an aerobatic maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2009 · about 7:11 pm local time
- Place
- Tea, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- From Here To There Pdq INC RV-8, amateur-built
- Registration
- N98AW · registry record · serial 80270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane perform a maneuver similar to a hammerhead stall. The airplane recovered and then entered a second similar maneuver. One witness reported that during that second maneuver, as the airplane began to descend, the engine made a popping noise and sounded like it lost power. The witness said that the airplane was doing a “twirling effect” until it impacted the terrain. Another witness said that he saw the airplane climbing until it was “almost standing still, then it cut left” and entered a 45-degree nose-down spin. He reported that after the first or second spin he heard the engine “cut out then backfire about 3 times and then it sounded like it quit.” The witness stated that the airplane kept spinning until it was near the ground, at which time it appeared to “straighten out.” He stated the airplane then disappeared behind a hill and, a second later, he heard the impact. The engine monitoring system recorded data throughout the flight. The data indicated that the engine rpm and manifold pressure fluctuated at different times throughout the flight. The engine rpm increased from a low of 518 rpm to 1,896 rpm then back down to 1,554 rpm in the last 5 seconds of recorded data. During the same time, the manifold pressure increased from 16.3 inches up to 22.5 inches then down to 7.3 inches at the last recorded data. A postaccident inspection of the engine did not reveal any preexisting failures or malfunctions that would have resulted in a loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (aerobatics) defining event
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (aerobatics)
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,187 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,548 as pilot in command; 1,657 on instruments
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 751 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 24, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y14 Tea SD at 6:45 pm
- Destination: Y14 Tea SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from FSD, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N98AW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09LA523.