Amateur-built JV-Special / RV8 accident near Roanoke, Texas, August 8, 2023
On August 8, 2023 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built JV-Special / RV8, registered N7776J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Roanoke, Texas (Northwest Rgnl 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 directional control during the landing roll with crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2023 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Roanoke, Texas · Northwest Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built JV-Special / RV8 NO SERIES, built 2014
- Registration
- N7776J · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while executing a three-point landing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the airplane touched down and a wind gust pushed the nose of the airplane to the left. The pilot attempted to keep the wings level and remain on the runway. He then applied the brakes and “shoved” the flight control stick forward. The airplane hit the runway on its nose and came to rest upright which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 17 with wind from 090° at 9 knots.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,756.1 hours in all; 426.7 in this make and model; 10.1 in the last 90 days; 4.5 in the last 30 days; 4,756.1 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 6, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 438.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 3, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 C1D6 (piston); 2,751 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNC Lancaster TX at 1:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,100 ft; a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from KAFW, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAFW 081453Z 09009KT 10SM FEW090 SCT150 BKN210 BKN250 31/21 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP128 VIRGA T03110211 50013=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 25, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.