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Final Report RV-7A N787NV

Sam Buchanan said:
This tragic accident is troubling on several levels.....

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104670/pdf
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Ain't that the truth. A high speed split S in an RV can be extremely hazardous.

This is certainly not the first accident involving an in-flight breakup after some poorly flow aerobatics, but the old adage about a picture being worth a thousand words certainly comes to mind. I've never seen a security camera capture an accident with such clarity.

--Ron
 
An old high time experienced Pilot guaranteed nothing! A totally avoidable accident, that’s the real tragedy!
 
Well worth reading docket #
16STRUCTURES GROUP CHAIR'S FACTUAL REPORT

this lists some of the many previous accidents and findings. It is abundantly clear that if you overspeed these aircraft the results will be disastrous.
Dont try aerobatics unless you’re suitably trained.
 
In the early 90's I was instructing full time in the Pitts S2B and other aircraft. I would ask a new customer about what type aircraft they owned and any previous aerobatic experience. One early answer: "RV6, I tried to learn aileron rolls on my own and nearly killed myself". Got the airplane inverted, stopped the roll and pulled. Airspeed near 300 statute, came very close to hitting the ground.
I cannot find any evidence that a RV6 has ever experienced a inflight structural breakup.
Regarding the NJ RV7 breakup there is extensive evidence of what the pilot had been attempting on prior flights. A friend in another airplane flying nearby and attempting to coach the accident pilot on aileron rolls. Those attempts had resulted in excess speed. There were not witnesses for the fatal flight but the first part in the accident path was the rudder. The pilot was not the builder and he had previously repaired rudder wind damage.
The Arlington AZ accident: the final report makes no mention of aerobatics. There is mention of bird remains in the fuselage.
Question: If you were flying your RV well in excess of Va and a bird came thru the windshield what do you think your reaction might be?
The more recent AZ report is a incomplete report as a medical event was not considered and no medical testing was done.
 
Just went and looked at MORE of the NTSB data that is with the file linked in the first post.

Yes the Mohave County Medical Examiner reported to the FAA that an autopsy was not done and no toxicology sample collected.

The STRUCTURES GROUP CHAIR'S FACTUAL REPORT is 36 pages long and had 18 photos. ALL of the RV accidents that they compared had all been over Vne speed. This is a reminder to all of us to respect the designer's never exceed speed. The photos in the report will help us think about flying our airplane outside the designer's recommendations.
 
jrs14855 said:
Question: If you were flying your RV well in excess of Va and a bird came thru the windshield what do you think your reaction might be?
The more recent AZ report is a incomplete report as a medical event was not considered and no medical testing was done.
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"Oh [expletive deleted]!!!"
 
The White Hills AZ accident: There are technical errors as well as description errors in the report. The so called Split S which appears to be something else could very well be the result of a full rudder application as a result of a seizure or heart issue.
Just a few weeks ago I met a guy who had instructed aerobatics in the Extra 300. He had a trainee who had a seizure and applied full rudder and held it. He though he was going to have to leave the airplane with the trainee onboard. The trainee recovered and they landed safely.
Around 2019 I was at a small EAA Flly In. A guy kept coming back to my airplane and we had some long conversations. Retired 747 pilot. He had a collection of airplanes including a RV4. He spent summers in the Seattle area. I later learned that he was flying his RV4 on a local flight and had a stroke. He did not pass out and was able to land the airplane and taxi to his hangar. He had to be helped out of the airplane. He went to the hospital and passed away a short time later.
 
bjdecker said:
@RV8JD Carl - what's the count now for big-tail RV-7s breakups?
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You probably saw that yesterday I updated the spreadsheet to add links to the Final Report and the Docket for the N787NV accident at White Hills, AZ on 2/19/2022:

RV-7/7A In-Flight Breakup Accident Information

There was some interest in a previous thread regarding the status of the investigations into the RV-7/7A in-flight breakup accidents that have occurred. I put together the attached spreadsheet documenting the accidents I am aware of. The spreadsheet has embedded links to the respective...
www.vansairforce.net www.vansairforce.net

Thankfully, I don't believe there have been any new in-flight breakups since this accident.
 
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The NTSB report says that Vans had a ground vibration test done on this model in 2001? That has never been mentioned in any previous NTSB report on 7's - It has been reported several times that an RV8 had a GVT done, but this is the first I've heard about the 7. The NTSB Structural report is quite complete as it has gathered a history rudder failures of the 7 and a 4.

The report does not indicate what rudder was on the RV7 for its GVT in 2001, (edit) but does have this statement from Vans; "The tail flutter analysis results from the RV-8 were applicable to the RV-7. "

I'll look up when the larger rudder was issued for the 7. [Edit- SB02-6-1. Issued June 8, 2002. ]
 
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The security cam image of an RV in "flight" without an empennage is the stuff of nightmares. Fly safely everyone.
 
BillL said:
I'll look up when the larger rudder was issued for the 7. [Edit- SB02-6-1. Issued June 8, 2002. ]
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That date is about right. I purchased my 7 emp Feb 2003 & the larger one had just replaced the smaller one. Lots of discussion at the time regarding the wedge
 
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