Vans RV9 accident near Steinhatchee, FL
On September 13, 2020, a Vans RV9 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Steinhatchee, FL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 13, 2020
- Place
- Steinhatchee, FL
- Aircraft
- Vans RV9 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 29.700°N, 83.517°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200913X12433
Official records · ERA20LA315
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Factual Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control Certification Of Party Representative: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control Adsb Data: Document (ZIP), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control Convective Sigmets: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control Center Weather Advisories: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 13, 2020, about 1215 eastern daylight time (EDT), an experimental amateur-built Van’s RV-9A, N4889R, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Steinhatchee, Florida. The pilot and a student pilot-certificated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Jack Edwards Field (JKA), Gulf Shores, Alabama, about 1003 under an instrument flight rules flight plan with the destination of Ocala International Airport (OCF), Ocala, Florida. At 1149, during the cruise portion of the flight, the pilot requested to divert to Cross City Airport (CTY), Cross City, Florida due to weather. At 1154:23, the pilot first contacted the Jacksonville, FL (ZJX) Air Route Traffic Control Center sector 13 controller while level at 9,000 ft above mean sea level (msl) and requested the RNAV (GPS)-A approach to CTY. At 1155:15, the sector 13 controller asked the pilot, “and ah eight niner romeo just confirm you wanted the RNAV runway three one.” The pilot responded, “un ah negative ah eight niner ah romeo we would like the RNAV Alpha into Cross City.” At 1155:32, the sector 13 controller acknowledged the pilot and cleared the flight direct to the initial approach fix, UGLUF. The pilot read back the clearance. At 1204:03, the sector 13 controller instructed the pilot of N4889R to “cross UGLUF at or above three thousand, cleared RNAV Alpha into ah Cross City.” The pilot responded, “Alright ah cross ah UGLUF at ah above ah three thousand cleared for the ah RNAV Alpha
Probable cause
The failure of the air traffic controller to provide hazardous weather information to the pilot, resulting in the flight’s encounter with strong updraft conditions, an inflight loss of airplane control, and an in-flight breakup. Contributing was the pilot’s decision to initiate a flight into an area under the influence of a tropical storm, with forecast rain showers and thunderstorms, which increa
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Browse: Florida · Vans aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
