Amateur-built RV-8 accident near Cortland, Ohio, May 1, 2013
On May 1, 2013 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-8, registered N81610, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cortland, Ohio (Urban Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 control of the airplane after encountering an unexpected soft spot in the runway during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2013 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cortland, Ohio · Urban Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-8
- Registration
- N81610 · no longer on the register · serial 80175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before the flight, the pilot called the destination airport to check on the runway conditions. No concerns were reported. During the landing roll on the grass runway, the airplane encountered a soft spot in the runway and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The empennage and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane before the accident.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Soft › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 2, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 641 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 1, 2012
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KJYO Leesburg VA at 2:45 pm
- Destination: 8OH5 Cortland OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,640 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from KYNG, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.