Amateur-built Highlander accident near Appomattox, Virginia, January 30, 2006
On January 30, 2006 at about 6:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Highlander, registered N8146P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Appomattox, Virginia. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's improper use of flaps.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2006 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Appomattox, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Highlander
- Registration
- N8146P · registry record · serial JAE00071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted a landing to an approximately 1,200-foot long field. The field was located on a level plateau-like area, surrounded by downward sloping terrain. The airplane touched down, "yawed" to the left, and then bounced in the direction of the downward sloping terrain. The pilot believed that the airplane had "remained in ground effect" longer than he thought it should, so he decided to abort the landing. During the aborted landing, the airplane contacted trees and was substantially damaged. The pilot stated that he should have "used right rudder more aggressively" to counteract the left yaw and that he should have retracted the wing flaps, which were still in the 30-degree position during the aborted landing.
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: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 78 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2005; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 2200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FVX Farmville VA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Appomattox VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 6:42 pm from FVX, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.