Amateur-built RV6 accident near Colonial Beach, Virginia, June 7, 2023
On June 7, 2023 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 2005 amateur-built RV6, registered N835BC, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Colonial Beach, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2023 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Colonial Beach, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV6, built 2005
- Registration
- N835BC · registry record · serial 21605
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were flying back to their home airport after an overnight stay with some friends. A witness, and friend of the pilot and passenger, stated he watched the airplane as it made two circles around his house. On the second circle, he noticed the airplane was in a very steep bank angle and making a tight circle about 100 ft above the ground. He then noticed the nose of the airplane drop down and the airplane impact the ground in a near-vertical attitude. He stated the engine was running well the entire time. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Thus, it is likely that while performing the low altitude circling maneuver, the pilot maintained insufficient airspeed and banked too steeply, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 355 hours in all; 9,999 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 4, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 832 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 22, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-EXP (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Colonial Beach VA at 2:10 pm
- Destination: XSA Tappahannock VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.74 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 am from XSA, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KXSA 071415Z AUTO 00000KT 4SM HZ SCT034 SCT040 SCT075 21/11 A2974 RMK AO2 T02130114
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on June 26, 2024. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Witnesses | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Logbooks | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Logbook | PDF, 9 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Wreckage Examination Summary | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Toxicology | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 7 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
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.