Event NYC94LA133

Factual narrative

On July 19, 1994, about 1900 eastern daylight time, an experimental Hoopes RV-6, N269RH, piloted by Rae Hoopes, collided with the terrain during the landing at Farmingdale Airport, Farmingdale, New Jersey. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was operated under 14 CFR 91. According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot wrote that he donated blood the morning of the flight. He further wrote, that the approach was normal, but "...upon touchdown, [he] blanked out to semi-conscious and could not control plane, which ran off runway to the left." According to FAA inspector, Ray Fisher's written report, the airplane landed hard on the runway, and the pilot "lost directional control of the aircraft...and struck a pile of dirt." Mr. Fisher wrote that the pilot had received 3 hours of instruction in RV-6 aircraft, and commented, "...[that]hardly qualifies a pilot coming from a Cessna 172 to act [as] pilot-in- command of a RV-6." DURING LANDING THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A DIRTBANK. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'UPON TOUCH DOWN, (HE) BLANKED OUT TO SEMI-CONSCIOUS AND COULD NOT CONTROL PLANE.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD DONATED BLOOD EARLIER IN THE DAY, WHICH IS WHAT HE BELIEVES IS THE REASON FOR THE SEMI-CONSCIOUSNESS. HE STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE WAITED 2 DAYS AFTER THE BLOOD DONATION, BEFORE PILOTING AN AIRCRAFT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12