Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Boerne, Texas, June 5, 2005
On June 5, 2005 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-6A, registered N927CL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boerne, Texas (Boerne Stage Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The hard landing as a result of the pilot’s improper flare and his failure to recover from a bounced landing. A contributing factor was the pilot's diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2005 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boerne, Texas · Boerne Stage Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A
- Registration
- N927CL · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 305-hour private pilot was on downwind for landing on a 4,300-foot long by 60-foot wide asphalt runway, when he noticed the manual flap handle would not move past the half-flap setting. He then realized that his seat belt was wrapped around the flap handle, restricting its movement. In order to free the flap handle, the pilot released his seat belt. The pilot became distracted with the seat belt and turned downwind-to-final 15 mph faster and higher than normal, but determined that he had enough runway length". He leveled off and began the flare, but the airplane landed hard and bounced in the air. The pilot added power, however, the airplane sank, hit and bounced in the air a second, and third time. During the third bounce he lost directional control and veered to the left of the runway. When the airplane's nose wheel hit the turf, it "broke," and the airplane nosed over.
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: 305 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 221 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5C1 Boerne TX
- Destination: 5C1 San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 17, 4,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from SAT
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.
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 DFW05LA151.