Amateur-built RV-7A accident near Vernon, Texas, September 16, 2007
On September 16, 2007 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-7A, registered N729CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vernon, Texas (Wilbarger County 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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing. A contributing factor was the prevailing tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2007 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vernon, Texas · Wilbarger County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-7A
- Registration
- N729CM · no longer on the register · serial 71712
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 603-hour private pilot lost control of the homebuilt airplane while landing with a tailwind. The pilot, who was also the builder of the airplane, stated on the NTSB form 6120.1 (Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report) that during her first attempt to land, she "was getting strong wind gusts and about the time she flared the airplane, a strong wind gust shot me 50 feet in the air." The pilot then applied power and regained runway alignment and came around for a second landing attempt on Runway 02. The pilot reported that her second landing attempt resulted in a hard landing. When the nose gear contacted the ground the pilot encountered "a bad shimmy and when it settled I knew I did not have control of the airplane." Following the loss of control, the airplane was reported to have turned sharply to the right, nosed over and came to rest in the inverted position. The wind at the time of the mishap was reported from 200 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot added that she had noted during Unicom radio traffic that the landing traffic was to Runway 20 and she mistakenly landed to Runway 02.
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: 603 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 478 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 225 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,834 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBJC Denver CO at 4:15 pm
- Destination: T67 Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 02, 5,099 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KFDR
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.