Amateur-built RV 6 accident near Lakeland, Florida, September 23, 2019
On September 23, 2019 at about 3:57 pm local time, a 1995 amateur-built RV 6, registered N12033, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lakeland, Florida (South Lakeland Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inability to maintain control due to passenger interference.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2019 · about 3:57 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · South Lakeland Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV 6 Undesignat, built 1995
- Registration
- N12033 · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was also a flight instructor, stated that the airplane owner contacted him for tailwheel instruction in his recently purchased airplane. The owner did not hold a pilot certificate, but the pilot agreed to fly the airplane with the owner as a passenger. The pilot stated that, during landing approach, “the airplane banked to the left and pitch[ed] down about 8 or 10 degrees.” The pilot attempted to regain control of the airplane, but the controls were “very stiff.” He recalled heading toward the trees and tried again to move the controls; this time, the airplane pitched up slightly, but not enough to slow the descent. The airplane impacted trees and the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that he thought the passenger applied control inputs during landing, which resulted in his inability to control the airplane. He stated that the airplane “definitely did not stall.” He also reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The owner of the airplane did not provide a statement regarding 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Passenger
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 35,000 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 6,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ZPH Zephyrhills FL at 3:35 pm
- Destination: X49 Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,412 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from LAL, 4 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
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 4, 2022. 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 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N12033 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.