Amateur-built VANS RV6A accident near Lafayette, Georgia, April 11, 2015
On April 11, 2015 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2009 amateur-built VANS RV6A, registered N646RV, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lafayette, Georgia (Hogjowl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in variable, gusting wind conditions, resulting in a runway excursion, and substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2015 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Georgia · Hogjowl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS RV6A A, built 2009
- Registration
- N646RV · registry record · serial 20333
- 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 during the landing roll in gusting, variable wind conditions, the airplane "suddenly" made a "strong" turn to the left. The airplane exited the runway to the left and the pilot applied left rudder to avoid hitting the windsock pole. The airplane entered tall grass, the nose wheel hit a hole, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and left wing during 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 172 hours in all; 172 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 21, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 216 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 8, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2G (piston); 1,645 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 19GA Fayetteville GA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: GE11 Lafayette GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N646RV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA15CA040.