Vans Aircraft RV7A accident near Reklaw, Texas, October 22, 2005
On October 22, 2005 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Vans Aircraft RV7A, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N555YF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reklaw, Texas (Flying M Ranch 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 failure of the nose landing gear assembly for undetermined reasons, resulting in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2005 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Reklaw, Texas · Flying M Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft RV7A, amateur-built · all RV7As on the register
- Registration
- N555YF · registry record · serial 70049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a 30-minute flight, the pilot landed his single-engine tricycle gear homebuilt airplane at a private 3,500-foot long, by 50-foot wide grass airstrip to attend a fly-in. The event hosted numerous airplanes, many with a similar tricycle gear design. The 4,300-hour airline transport pilot reported that the airplane touched down on the main landing gear at approximately 60 mph with full flaps. The pilot added that shortly after touchdown, during the landing roll on runway 02, the nose landing gear contacted "an irregularity in the landing surface" which caused the nose landing gear assembly to fold aft. Following the collapsed of the nose gear assembly, the propeller struck the ground and the airplane nosed over coming to rest in the inverted position. The canopy was crushed; however, both occupants were able to egress the airplane unassisted. Several of the pilots attending the fly-in witnessed the accident and later assisted in the recovery of the airplane from the runway. A couple of the pilots, who were also builders of the same model of airplane, were able to evaluate the condition of the landing surface, and failed to find any irregularities with the landing surface that could have contributed to this event. Another witness stated that the grass runway featured a slight 'dip' or grade and the touchdown zone of the runway "may have been slightly rougher that the rest of the runway." The homebuilt airplane had accumulated a total of 264.1 hours since new, and the pilot reported having accumulated a total of 264.1 hours in the make and model airplane. In the recommendation section of the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot recommends an "improved design for the tricycle-gear Vans aircraft." The homebuilt airplane is available in two options, tricycle or tailwheel configuration. A review of the accident data base revealed several similar events involving the tricycle gear configured airplanes. The reason for the failure of the nose landing gear assembly could not be determined.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all; 264 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 264.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2004; 78.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Eci O-360 EXP (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F46 Rockwall TX at 4:15 pm
- Destination: 7TA7 Reklaw TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 am
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.