Amateur-built RV 6 accident near Ridgefield, Washington, April 29, 2019
On April 29, 2019 at about 9:13 pm local time, a 1990 amateur-built RV 6, registered N90LK, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Ridgefield, Washington (Daybreak 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 pilots' inadvertent exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack following an inflight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2019 · about 9:13 pm local time
- Place
- Ridgefield, Washington · Daybreak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV 6 Undesignat, built 1990
- Registration
- N90LK · no longer on the register · serial 20147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and flight instructor were conducting a local flight as part of a flight review. Radar data showed that the airplane departed and proceeded to a nearby airport, where it entered the traffic pattern. The last recorded radar target was located abeam the end of the runway, at an altitude of about 500 ft above ground level. There were no known witnesses to the accident sequence. The airplane came to rest upright, partially submerged within a pond, about 1,000 ft from the approach end of the runway. Wreckage and impact signatures from surrounding terrain were consistent with a near-vertical impact. Examination revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Bird remains were found on the right (outboard) arm/clothing of the flight instructor and within the engine compartment. The remains were identified as a species common to the accident locale. It is likely that a bird strike occurred while the airplane was maneuvering in the traffic pattern for landing, resulting in a breach of the canopy/windscreen. Given the lack of mechanical anomalies and the orientation of the wreckage, it is likely that the pilots became distracted and exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and loss of control.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Birdstrike during approach
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,147 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 3, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1W1 Camas WA at 9:02 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from SPD, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
13 documents, released by the NTSB on June 3, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | radar Track Images | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Flight Kml File | map file | Download |
| 3 | Accident Flight Excel radar Data | spreadsheet | Download |
| 4 | On Site Examination Notes | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Airframe and Engine Examination Summary | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Bird Remains Id Letter | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Bird Information | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Smithsonian Bird Identification Letter | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Maintenance Records Information | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Toxicology Report Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 12 | Toxicology Report CFI | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 13 | On Scene Images | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.