Amateur-built VANS RV6A accident near Sequim, Washington, April 10, 2012
On April 10, 2012 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built VANS RV6A, registered N6000Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Sequim, Washington (Blue Ribbon Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2012 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sequim, Washington · Blue Ribbon Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS RV6A
- Registration
- N6000Z · registry record · serial 24142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the climbing phase of the flight, both he and the flight instructor observed fuel leaking from the right wing fuel cap. The pilot made a precautionary landing at a nearby airport. During landing, the airplane landed hard and the propeller struck the ground, substantially damaging the airplane firewall. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the stopper-type fuel cap was locked; however, it was not properly secured in the filler port of the fuel tank. Yet, this would not have affected the landing. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
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) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › (general) › (general) › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 27,000 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 22,000 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 547 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 506 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 6, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 216 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 29, 2011; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W28 Sequim WA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: W28 Sequim WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 2,360 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from CLM, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N6000Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.