Amateur-built RV-8 accident near Lake City, Florida, January 26, 2013
On January 26, 2013 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-8, registered N492CM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lake City, Florida (Cannon Creek Airpark 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2013 · about 8:15 pm local time · cases in 2013
- Place
- Lake City, Florida · Cannon Creek Airpark · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-8
- Registration
- N492CM · no longer on the register · serial 81532
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on the 25-foot-wide runway, the airplane drifted to the right of the runway centerline. The pilot increased engine power in an attempt to abort the landing, but the airplane continued to the right and departed the runway. The right wing contacted the ground and the main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane and that better piloting and a wider runway could have prevented the accident.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 707 hours in all; 111 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 617 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 23, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 111 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 25, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAO Marion SC at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 15FL Lake City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,513 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft; a few clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from GNV, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 8, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 1 - Damage to Right Wing (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N492CM: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360C1E6 43 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Cannon Creek Airpark · nearest airport
- Marion County · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 989 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,712 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA13CA120.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.