NELSON SYDNEY VANS ACFT RV8A
Englewood, CO — May 4, 2017
Event Information
| Date | May 4, 2017 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA17CA257 |
| Event ID | 20170504X65935 |
| Location | Englewood, CO |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 39.57000, -104.84944 |
| Airport | CENTENNIAL |
| Highest Injury | MINR |
Aircraft
| Make | NELSON SYDNEY |
| Model | VANS ACFT RV8A |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 1 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 1 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's improper landing flare and inadvertent selection of the mixture control, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing during gusting crosswind wind conditions.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that, during the landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, he realized that the descent rate was a "little fast/ heavy," so he "reached to [the] left to add power and smooth out [the] flare." He further reported that he mistakenly grabbed the "red knob," the mixture control, instead of the throttle to arrest the descent rate. Subsequently, the airplane continued to descend, bounced hard on the runway, and became airborne again. When the airplane settled back onto the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed, the propeller struck the runway, and the airplane veered off the runway to the left and nosed over.
The fuselage and vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
An automated weather observation station, at the accident airport, about the time of the accident, recorded wind 360° at 8 knots, gusting 15 knots. The pilot reported that the landing was on runway 28.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.