Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB ERA11LA022
Newcomer RV6 — Monticello, GA
| Date | October 16, 2010 |
| Location | Monticello, GA |
| Aircraft | Newcomer RV6 (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Dusk · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 56 |
| Pilot total time | 1,034 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Lateral/bank control-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
What happened
Several eyewitnesses reported seeing the airplane as it was in the initial climb phase. They said that the airplane rolled to the left into a near 90-degree bank, descended, collided with the ground, and then exploded. The engine continued to operate at high power until ground impact. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a preimpact failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. Results of postmortem toxicology testing on the pilot were consistent with the use of a prescription antidepressant. The medication levels obtained from blood samples were on the lower end of the therapeutic range. The role of any possible impairment from the medication or the condition for which the medication was prescribed could not be conclusively determined.