Amateur-built RV-14 accident near Heber City, Utah, September 24, 2018
On September 24, 2018 at about 3:45 pm local time, a 2016 amateur-built RV-14, registered N823HE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Heber City, Utah (Heber City Muni - Russ Mcdonal 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 loss of directional control during the landing roll and his subsequent attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2018 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Heber City, Utah · Heber City Muni - Russ Mcdonal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-14 Undesignat, built 2016
- Registration
- N823HE · registry record · serial 140082
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the experimental, amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, when the tailwheel touched down, the airplane veered right. He increased the engine power to increase the airflow around the rudder, but the airplane then veered left and exited the left side of the runway. With full throttle applied and full flaps and unaware of the airspeed, the pilot initiated a climb. However, the left main landing gear struck a taxiway sign, and the airplane became airborne. The pilot reduced the throttle to idle, and the airplane touched down on the grass safety area and stopped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left main landing gear attachment points. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 138 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 15, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming YIO 390 EXP10 (piston); 138 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HCR Heber City UT at 3:45 pm
- Destination: HCR Heber City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,898 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from K36U
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 May 1, 2019. 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 | 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.