Amateur-built RV8 accident near Canaan Valley, West Virginia, June 2, 2017
On June 2, 2017 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built RV8, registered N102CM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Canaan Valley, West Virginia (Windwood Fly-In Resort 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 in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2017 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Canaan Valley, West Virginia · Windwood Fly-In Resort · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV8 A, built 2014
- Registration
- N102CM · no longer on the register · serial 81015
- 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, as the main gear touched down, a wind gust "carried" the airplane off the right side of the runway. He added that, when the nose gear touched down, it sunk into the soft ground, and the airplane "flipped over on its back." The airplane sustained substantial damage to its canopy and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the weather at the accident site about the time of the accident was wind from 330° at 12 knots, gusting to about 20 knots. The pilot landed on runway 06. An automated weather observation system about 14 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 310° at 8 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
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 defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,690 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 10.8 in the last 30 days; 3,420 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 5, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 97 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 19, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1-B6 (piston); 100 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JYO Leesburg VA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: WV62 Canaan Valley WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KW99, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 3, 2017. 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 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.