Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008
By DEBBIE HALL - Bulletin Staff Writer
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the plane crash that killed a North Carolina man Friday on a private airstrip in Henry County.
Jim Peterson, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said “the aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed,” and that means the NTSB will conduct the investigation.
Jerome Tuttle, 71, of Stoneville, died of injuries he received after trying to land at Covington Airstrip on Airhaven Road off U.S. 58 West near the Henry County/Patrick County line, according to the Virginia State Police and the FAA.
Don Collins, along with many other members of the Shiloh Pilots Association, knew Tuttle well.
“We’re all in a state of shock,” Collins said Monday after Tuttle’s funeral.
Tuttle was the pilot and the only person aboard the single engine RV-6 aircraft, which was manufactured in 2000, according to the FAA.
The aircraft is classified as experimental and listed in the category as “amateur built” on the FAA Web site.
The “experimental” designation signifies a kit or home-built craft, Collins said.
There are many reasons someone builds his or her own airplane, Collins said. For example, model planes are less expensive. Performance criteria also may be a factor, he said.
Also, there are some people “who just love building airplanes,” Collins said.
The length of time it takes to build one varies, depending on how much time an individual has to devote to the project, Collins said.
“It may take five years or it may take 20 years,” Collins said. “It’s a hobby as well as a passion for some people.”
Whatever the reason, the FAA oversees the building process, inspects the various stages of building and also keeps maintenance records and other information about home-built planes, Collins said.
Tuttle had built an RV-4 aircraft and helped many others to build home models, but he did not own the plane he was flying Friday, Collins said.
Siesta Aviation Inc. of Stoneville was listed as the registered owner of the single-engine plane, according to the FAA’s Web site. A message left with the company was not returned.
Collins said Tuttle was experienced flying the RV-6, which is made by Van’s Aircraft, which makes RV kits that include the 4, 6 and 8 models, according to Collins and the company’s Web site.
Grass airstrips also are common, in part because they are more user friendly and easier to navigate with home-built planes than land or pavement, Collins said.
He explained that some home-built planes may use a tail wheel rather than a front wheel when landing, and grassy airstrips are “more forgiving” in those cases.
Collins declined to discuss specifics about the crash because he does not have firsthand information. However, he recalled Tuttle’s passion for flying.
“Jerome was a good friend, and he was a very active pilot. He was a very qualified pilot,” Collins said. “He flew more regularly” than many others and visited various areas.
Tuttle was a member of the Shiloh Pilots Association and two Experimental Aircraft Associations (EAAs), including Chapter 3 Vintage Aircraft and Chapter 8, Collins said. |
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