Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Tea, South Dakota, June 9, 2003
On June 9, 2003 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-6A, registered N160BM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tea, South Dakota (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the unsuitable terrain for landing encountered. Contributing factors to this accident were the crop and the collapse of the nose landing gear strut.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2003 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tea, South Dakota · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A
- Registration
- N160BM · registry record · serial 20832
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over during a forced landing to a cornfield following a loss of engine power on takeoff. The pilot reported the airplane had climbed to about 50 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. The pilot indicated he subsequently increased the throttle to full and the mixture to full rich. The pilot stated the airplane landed in a cornfield on its main landing gear first, followed by its nose landing gear, and subsequently nosed over. The pilot indicated he was buckled into his seat and was hanging upside down after impact. A post-accident inspection of the airplane revealed no pre-existing anomalies of the airplane's fuel and ignition systems. Engine continuity was confirmed and all cylinders exhibited compression. The propeller did not exhibit leading edge damage or chordwise scratching. There were no indications of propeller slashes or propeller strikes found at the accident site.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,612 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 2,215 as pilot in command; 9 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 17, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Tea SD at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from FSD, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.