Amateur-built RV6A accident near Pikeville, Kentucky, January 14, 2015
On January 14, 2015 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 2001 amateur-built RV6A, registered N32SN, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pikeville, Kentucky (Pike County-Hatcher Field). 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 airspeed during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing, and his subsequent flight into icing conditions, which resulted in the accumulation of ice on the airframe.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2015 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pikeville, Kentucky · Pike County-Hatcher Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV6A, built 2001
- Registration
- N32SN · no longer on the register · serial 23805
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had purchased the airplane the day prior, and was returning to his home airport when he elected to stop at an intermediate airport for fuel. After crossing the runway threshold, the pilot reduced engine power and entered the landing flare. He felt the airplane "balloon up slightly, then stall and drop around 15 feet" onto the runway. The airplane impacted the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane subsequently ran off the side of the runway, where it came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder. Photographs of the airplane taken by the airport manager following the accident depicted the presence of rime ice along the leading edges of the wings, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that he had not obtained a weather briefing, but had conducted a cursory review of enroute weather via an online vendor prior to the flight, and was not aware of icing conditions along his intended route of flight. He also stated there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Structural icing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 172 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 108 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 8, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 732 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 1, 2015; 6 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 732 hours total
- Operator: Norm Cyr Aircraft Sales LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FSO Highgate VT at 3:30 pm
- Destination: M91 Springfield TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,356 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from PBX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on February 13, 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence with Pilot | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record, FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 67 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 1 – Photograph of Main Wreckage at Accident Site (Photo Courtesy of Airport Manager) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo 2 – Photograph of Main Wreckage at Accident Site (Photo Courtesy of Airport Manager) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photo 3 – Photograph of Airplane in Hangar (Photo 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.
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.