NTSB CAROL · Event
Event WPR23LA273
Registry · N68TP
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-8
Year of manufacture
2015 · 8 years old at event
Engine
SUPERIOR IO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20150121
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A90295
Registrant of record
POWERS THOMAS J
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing due to impact with a concrete ring embedded in the grass runway.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing rollout, after the tail came down, he felt and heard a “bang” as the airplane rolled over a concrete ring, embedded in the turf runway. The airplane continued down the runway and the right main landing gear tire dug into the ground, followed by the collapse of the right main landing gear. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noticed that the tailwheel steering link was broken. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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).
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-(general)-Effect on equipment
- — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Attain/maintain not possible
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2023_WPR23LA273.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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