Amateur-built RV8 accident near Locust Grove, Georgia, April 21, 2011
On April 21, 2011 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built RV8, registered N190GE, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Locust Grove, Georgia (Mallards Landing Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2011 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Locust Grove, Georgia · Mallards Landing Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV8 UNDESIGNAT
- Registration
- N190GE · registry record · serial 81689
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that during the takeoff roll, at approximately 45 knots, the airplane's tail lifted off the ground and the airplane immediately turned left. The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder, brake, and aileron inputs; however, the airplane's right wing and propeller struck the ground. The pilot reduced power, and the airplane continued for approximately 150 feet before it nosed over. The airplane subsequently came to rest upright, and sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall and both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies of the brake system or rudder controls.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 393 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 1, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 393 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA04 Locust Grove GA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 4A4 Cedartown GA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 25, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from ATL, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 ERA11CA256.