Amateur-built RV8-A accident near Cleveland, Georgia, November 8, 2024
On November 8, 2024 at about 6:15 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built RV8-A, registered N69LM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cleveland, Georgia (Mountain Airpark 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
A nose landing gear collapse on landing and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 2024 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Georgia · Mountain Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV8-A, built 2008
- Registration
- N69LM · registry record · serial 81427
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After completing a local flight, the pilot recalled the direction of landing required a steep descent during the final approach due to tall trees at the approach end of the runway. The pilot otherwise did not recall any of the details of the accident following the short final segment of the landing approach. A witness described, and surveillance video confirmed, that the airplane touched down, experienced a “very short” bounce, and then impacted the turf runway nose landing gear first, resulting in the nose landing gear collapsing and the airplane nosing over. The airplane’s fuselage, empennage, and right wing sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,292 hours in all; 1,040 in this make and model; 2,292 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 18, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,040 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 12, 2024; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 1,040 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway N, 2,500 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 76°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from GVL, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGVL 081753Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 24/18 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP187 T02440178 10256 20194 58021
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N69LM 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.