Amateur-built RV-10 accident near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, July 30, 2017
On July 30, 2017 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built RV-10, registered N616JJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee (Lawrenceburg-Lawrence County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare and failure to maintain yaw control during a go-around 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
- July 30, 2017 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceburg, Tennessee · Lawrenceburg-Lawrence County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-10 NO SERIES, built 2012
- Registration
- N616JJ · no longer on the register · serial 40853
- 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 flare, the airplane encountered wind shear and landed hard. He added that, during the bounce, he applied power to go around, but the airplane yawed to the left "severely." The pilot added right rudder and reduced power to abort the takeoff in an attempt to land back on the runway. The airplane was "about 6 ft. [above ground level]" and continued left, and the left wing impacted a ditch. Subsequently, the propeller struck the ground, the airplane rotated 180°, and the airplane came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. There were no nearby National Weather Service reporting stations. An online commercial weather service provider reported that a nearby station reported, about the time of the accident, wind from 315° at 1.6 mph, gusting to 3.4 mph. The pilot reported sky clear, visibility 10+, temperature 74°F, and altimeter setting 29.90 inches of mercury, and he observed the wind direction from 270° at a light-and-variable speed, gusting to 7 knots. The airplane landed on runway 35.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
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 › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 605 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 30, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 70 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2M2 Lawrenceburg TN at 9:50 pm
- Destination: 2M2 Lawrenceburg TN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 5,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KMRC, 19 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 20, 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 | Weather Snapshot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | 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.