Amateur-built Vans RV6A accident near Tampa, Florida, August 18, 2002
On August 18, 2002 at about 1:36 pm local time, a amateur-built Vans RV6A, registered N747ES, was destroyed in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Peter O'Knight airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin, while maneuvering, and subsequent impact with a concrete wall. A factor in this accident was the impairment of the pilot in command due to the use of prescription drugs.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2002 · about 1:36 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Peter O'Knight · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Vans RV6A
- Registration
- N747ES · registry record · serial 25321
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses watched the flight depart, and about one mile from the airport, the flight turned 180-degrees, and headed downwind back to the airport. It appeared to the witnesses that the flight would be landing; however, the airplane stayed about 25 to 50 feet above the runway, they heard power being applied, and the airplane started a steep climb. Initially, the aircraft started to go into a left turn, but then turned right, over the water. The flight was then observed going into a steep spiral descent and crashed. Examination of the airplane did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction. Amitriptyline, a sedating antidepressant and nortriptyline, a metabolite of amitriptyline, were detected in the blood of the pilot-in-command at levels consistent with the regular use of the medication. Paroxetine, another prescription antidepressant, was detected in the blood at almost 10 times the level expected with regular use. The pilot was noted to have a history of migraine headaches. A migraine headache may have adversely affected his ability to fly the aircraft. The possibility that the pilot was intentionally engaging in a risky or self-destructive act cannot be conclusively excluded.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 127 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 102.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 11, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPF Tampa FL at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,688 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from TPA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.