Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Fort Myers, Florida, October 15, 2003
On October 15, 2003 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-6A, registered N710WL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Myers, Florida (Page Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot in command's improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing and damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2003 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · Page Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A
- Registration
- N710WL · registry record · serial 21016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while practicing touch-and-go landings, the second landing was "somewhat abrupt", which caused the airplane to rebound in the air. He said he did not get engine power applied in sufficient time to prevent another "abrupt" touchdown, which caused the nose landing gear strut to collapse. According to the pilot, prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
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 - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 1,260 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 23, 2003
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 200 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 1, 2003; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: LBV Labelle FL at 6:40 pm
- Destination: FMY Fort Myers FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 6,401 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 84°C, dew point 70°C
- Altimeter: 29.940001 inHg
- Observation at 6:34 pm from FMY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA04CA003.