Amateur-built Vans RV6 accident near Salem, Ohio, September 13, 2007
On September 13, 2007 at about 2:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Vans RV6, registered N423SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salem, Ohio (Salem Airpark INC airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the blocked cooling and induction systems because of the pilot in command's failure to remove the cowling covers before the flight. Factors were the pilot's misjudged landing glidepath, the pilot rated passenger's inability to maintain clearance from the parked vehicle during the landing, and the parked vehicle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2007 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salem, Ohio · Salem Airpark INC · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Vans RV6
- Registration
- N423SH · no longer on the register · serial 20508
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The right wing of the airplane struck a parked truck during landing. The pilot reported that he became distracted during the preflight inspection of the airplane and forgot to remove the cowl covers from the engine cowl. He stated that he and his pilot-rated-passenger took off for a short flight to get gas and oil. During the flight, the pilot noticed that the oil temperature indication was "going up." The destination airport had a paved runway that was 3,404 feet long. On the south side of the paved runway was a parallel turf runway that was 2,593 feet long by 85 feet wide. On the day of the accident flight, runway maintenance was being performed on the paved runway and the turf runway was in use. The pilot reported that his passenger contacted the destination airport by radio and that they were informed of the runway maintenance. The pilot stated that the passenger took control of the airplane on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot rated passenger reported that he only took control of the airplane after the pilot asked for help. Both pilots reported that the approach was high and that they touched down a few times before the pilot rated passenger attempted a go-around. The engine did not respond and the airplane hit a truck that was parked at the far end of the paved runway.
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: 778 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Youngstown OH at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 38D Salem OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 2,593 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.