Amateur-built RV7 accident near Ocracoke, North Carolina, August 19, 2019
On August 19, 2019 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built RV7, registered N566WV, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Ocracoke, North Carolina (Ocracoke Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain lateral control during an attempted aborted landing, which resulted in impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2019 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ocracoke, North Carolina · Ocracoke Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV7 A, built 2008
- Registration
- N566WV · no longer on the register · serial 72604
- 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 first approach to land, the airplane was high, and he chose to abort the landing. During the second approach, the airplane was again high, and he used a forward slip to descend. Upon crossing the runway threshold, he realized the airplane was drifting left of the runway. He again aborted the landing and applied full power. However, the airplane pitched up, continued to drift left, and impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the left and right wings, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 in flight 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 Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,846 hours in all; 912 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 17, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 912.3 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 9, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Superior XP-IO-B1AD3 (piston); 912 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFA Kill Devil Hills NC at 3:00 pm
- Destination: W95 Ocracoke NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 2,998 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from KHSE, 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 18, 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 | 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.