Amateur-built VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8 accident near Nashua, New Hampshire, November 9, 2011
On November 9, 2011 at about 4:34 pm local time, a amateur-built VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8, registered N220RG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Nashua, New Hampshire (Boire Field). 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 right main landing gear collapse due to the overload fracture of the hardware for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident testing and examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2011 · about 4:34 pm local time
- Place
- Nashua, New Hampshire · Boire Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8
- Registration
- N220RG · registry record · serial 004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were returning from a local area flight. The wheel landing and landing roll were described as normal. About 1,000 feet down the runway, the right main gear collapsed, and the airplane ground looped. Postaccident examination showed that spring brackets and a bolt from the right main landing gear had fractured. Metallurgical examination revealed that all fractures were due to overload failure. The postaccident examination was unable to determine the initiating event that resulted in the overload failure and landing gear collapse.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,102 hours in all; 768 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 27, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 74 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 22, 2012; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KASH Nashua NH at 3:30 pm
- Destination: KASH Nashua NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,501 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from ASH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N220RG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.