NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ERA21LA048
Registry · N311SV
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-4
Year of manufacture
2002 · 18 years old at event
Engine
AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20021229
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A34C2C
Registrant of record
POFFENBERGER BENJAMIN G
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane and reported that on final approach the wind increased from calm to a quartering left crosswind at 9 knots. During the landing roll, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left. The pilot applied rudder and brakes, but the airplane skidded sideways on the runway resulting in a ground loop. During the accident sequence the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing impacted the runway. The airplane’s engine mount was also substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2020_ERA21LA048.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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