Amateur-built RV6 accident near Leander, Texas, May 31, 2002
On May 31, 2002 at about 8:05 pm local time, a amateur-built RV6, registered N16PG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leander, Texas (Kittie Hill Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. Contributing factor is the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2002 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Leander, Texas · Kittie Hill Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV6
- Registration
- N16PG · registry record · serial 23918
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing short field landings on the turf airstrip. He made his first approach at 80 miles per hour, which terminated in a full stop landing. Not satisfied with the first approach and landing, he decided to attempt another one. The second approach was executed using 40 degrees of flaps, an approach speed of 75 miles per hour, and a steeper descent angle. As the pilot flared, the airspeed degraded, which resulted in a high sink rate. The pilot applied full power; however, the airplane impacted the runway, bounced hard, and veered to the left. The pilot then pulled the power off, and subsequently, the airplane came to rest in an upright position after impacting a berm approximately 30 feet left and parallel to the runway.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 994 hours in all; 171 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 912 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 19, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 145 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 17, 2001; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5R3 Lago Vista TX at 7:45 pm
- Destination: 77T Kittie Hill TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,350 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from GTU, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW02LA169.