N113DTVans Aircraft RV-6A

On December 11, 2023, about 1850 central standard time, a Van’s Aircraft RV-6A, N113DT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at the Searcy Municipal Airport (SRC) in Searcy, Arkansas. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight test.

The pilot-rated passenger, who was also an airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization, reported that the pilot requested that he accompany him on a flight test after the No. 1 cylinder was replaced.

The passenger reported that the engine run-up was uneventful except for a brief “stumble” when switching the magnetos to the electronic magnetos. The pilot assured him that the engine response was normal.

The pilot reported that they departed runway 19 at SRC and flew to Woodruff County Airport (M60) in Augusta, Arkansas. The passenger stated that the airplane performed unremarkably during the flight to M60 except for a brief stumble in rpm when the throttle was retarded to 1,500 rpm. After performing one landing at M60, they returned to SRC.

The pilot reported that he performed two landings at SRC. After the second landing he intended to taxi the airplane to the parking area, but the passenger asked if he could take the airplane around the traffic pattern. The pilot agreed.

The pilot stated that the flight in the traffic pattern was satisfactory, but when the passenger turned onto final approach, they were too low and slow. The pilot told him to perform a go-around. The passenger pushed the throttle all the way forward and the nose of the airplane yawed to the left. The left wingtip and left tire contacted the runway. The passenger pulled back on the yoke and the airplane bounced back into the air. The left wing impacted the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights. The pilot told the passenger to land the airplane, but the passenger told him that he could save it. The pilot reported that the airplane stalled, impacted the ground on the main landing gear, skidded about 20 ft, and flipped over. The airplane came to rest inverted in a field next to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer.

The passenger reported that he does not remember flying the airplane. He stated that his last memory before the ambulance ride was flying back to SRC from M60.

The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies.