Amateur-built RV-9A accident near Live Oak, Florida, March 9, 2014
On March 9, 2014 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built RV-9A, registered N125TK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Live Oak, Florida (Jones Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, a subsequent nose-down landing, and excessive bending loads to the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 2014 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Live Oak, Florida · Jones Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-9A, built 2007
- Registration
- N125TK · registry record · serial 90345
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger, during the landing at the pilot's home airstrip in the tricycle landing gear, experimental amateur-built airplane, the pilot stated, "I'm coming in too hot." The pilot continued the landing to the turf runway, and, according to the passenger and a witness, the airplane landed hard and then bounced. The passenger stated that, during the bounce, the airplane stalled. Further, the witness stated that, when he responded to the scene to help, he heard the pilot say that the airplane had "stalled." Ground scars and wreckage photographs indicated that, after the stall, the airplane landed nose down, which resulted in the nose landing gear leg folding aft. The folded area then dug into the ground, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot indicated that he believed that a service bulletin to strengthen the nose landing gear and provide greater ground clearance for the nose wheel fork had been incorporated. Although the nose landing gear did not collapse after the initial hard landing and bounce, it could not withstand the excessive bending loads sustained during the subsequent nose-down landing.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during uncontrolled descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 4, 2013
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,079 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 30, 2013; 49 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 Series (piston); 1,079 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9FL0 Suwannee Bell FL at 6:10 pm
- Destination: None Live Oak FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 2,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from 24J, 3 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
16 documents, released by the NTSB on May 5, 2015. 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.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.