Amateur-built RV7 accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey, August 21, 2021
On August 21, 2021 at about 11:00 am local time, a 2021 amateur-built RV7, registered N838WT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Mount Holly, New Jersey (South Jersey Rgnl airport). 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 improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a touchdown on the nose gear first, resulting in damage to the nose gear and a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2021 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Mount Holly, New Jersey · South Jersey Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV7 A, built 2021
- Registration
- N838WT · registry record · serial 70556
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the wind was light and variable as he entered the pattern for landing. All parameters were normal until he flared the airplane for landing. The main gear touched down and the airplane bounced. As the pilot continued the landing attempt, the nose gear touched down first and the airplane immediately veered to the left, departed the runway into the soft ground, and nosed over. The empennage and upper fuselage sustained substantial damage and the pilot had minor injuries. An examination of the nose landing gear revealed that it bent over during the impact. No mechanical malfunction of the nose gear was found. Scrape marks on the runway were consistent with contact on the strut.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,252 hours in all; 830 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 25, 2021
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 830 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 28, 2021; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 3,585 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08/2, 3,881 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from KVAY
Weather report (METAR): METAR KVAY 211754Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM SCT018 BKN028 27/22 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP126 60000 T02720222 10278 20228 56004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 27, 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Memorandum for Record - Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Excerpts - Aircraft Maintenance Logbook | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | 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.
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.