Bird strike Accident Van's RV-4 N234RV,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 291535
 
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Date:Friday 29 December 2006
Time:14:40 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic RV4 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Van's RV-4
Owner/operator:
Registration: N234RV
MSN: 234
Engine model:Lycoming O-320
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Grants Pass, Oregon -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Grants Pass, OR (3S8)
Destination airport:(3S8)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The passenger reported that the experimental amateur-built airplane was in cruise flight about 12 miles from the airport when a bird impacted the propeller, and the airplane started shaking and vibrating violently. The flight returned to the airport, and the pilot entered the traffic pattern for landing. The airplane was high and fast on final for runway 30, and when it was about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way down the runway, the pilot decided to go around. When the throttle was advanced, the engine ran rough and did not produce power. During the go around attempt, the airplane entered a stall and subsequently impacted terrain about 500 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed that one blade of the experimental wooden propeller was broken off at the hub, and the other blade was broken off at approximately midspan. Wood fragments identified as being from a propeller blade were found at the accident site. Laboratory examination of the remaining portion of the propeller and the recovered blade fragments indicated the fragments were from the blade that was broken off at the hub, and this blade likely fractured as a result of ground impact. The fracture features found on the blade that separated near midspan were consistent with a traumatic event such as an in-flight bird strike. No obvious signs of bird residue were noted on the propeller, but the loss of the outboard portion of the blade prevented examination of this part of the propeller.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during performance of a go-around, resulting in an inadvertent stall and subsequent in flight collision with the ground. A contributing factor was the in-flight loss of a portion of one propeller blade.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: SEA07LA039
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB SEA07LA039

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
07-Oct-2022 15:58 ASN Update Bot Added

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