Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
NTSB analysis
The pilot had just purchased the airplane, but in the past had owned and flown a similar model. He was on his fourth attempted landing at his first stopover point. The airplane bounced, and the right wing contacted the ground, sustaining substantial damage. The airplane veered off the right side of runway 19. The pilot tapped the brakes and the airplane came to rest nose down.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR09CA147 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Mar 8, 2009
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California
- Nearest airport
- Santa Rosa (STS)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Amateur-built RV4
- N-number
- N424RV
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.