Amateur-built RV-6 accident near Auburn, Washington, February 21, 2007
On February 21, 2007 at about 10:15 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-6, registered N601DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, Washington (Auburn Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the obstruction of the engine's air inlet by a fabricated neoprene seal, and inadequate maintenance by unknown maintenance personnel. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2007 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Washington · Auburn Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6
- Registration
- N601DB · no longer on the register · serial 23744
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial climb after take off, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot said there was a motel and casino in front of him, so he performed a 90 degree left-hand turn. The pilot landed the airplane parallel to and inside the airport perimeter fence with the right wing sliding along the fence. The airplane landed hard on both main landing gear and they collapsed. Additionally the engine mounts were broken, the engine firewall was wrinkled, both wings exhibited buckling and wrinkling, and the fuselage was wrinkled. Post accident examination of the engine revealed that a large piece of neoprene was lodged in the engine's air intake. The pilot said that he and the mechanic fabricated a neoprene seal for the engine's air intake during the conditional inspection, which was completed on February 12, 2007. The airplane had flown 0.2 hours, out of conditional inspection, at the time of the accident.
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: airline transport pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,571 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 223 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 430 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 1, 2007; 0.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S50 Auburn WA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: S50 Auburn WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SEA, 8 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.