19970731020849A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtrvn VANS RV-4 · Seminole, TX · July 31, 1997

Date: July 31, 1997 · 07:45 local
Place: Seminole, TX
Airport: Gaines County Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N37RV
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97LA293
Reported as: Amtrvn VANSRV4
Fatal injuries: 0

N37RVRegistration cancelled Feb 7, 2000 · Bauer Frederick R VANS RV-4S/N 37 Airframe modelBauer Frederick R VANS RV-4

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft took off, reached 500FT AGL, switched fuel tanks, engine quit, crashed while trying to land on road. (-23) the pilot states that he took off, climbed to approximately 600 feet AGL, leveled off, and then he switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank. The engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing on a road. The aircraft was substantially damaged during contact with a power line and the ground. Investigation revealed a trace of fuel in the right tank, and the left tank was measured with more than 2 inches of fuel.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF, REACHED 500FT AGL, SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, ENGINE QUIT, CRASHED WHILE TRYING TO LAND ON ROAD. (-23) THE PILOT STATES THAT HE TOOK OFF, CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET AGL, LEVELED OFF, AND THEN HE SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK. THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING CONTACT WITH A POWER LINE AND THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A TRACE OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND THE LEFT TANK WAS MEASURED WITH MORE THAN 2 INCHES OF FUEL.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA293Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSeminole, TXloss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's improper use of the fuel tank selector.Jul 31, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N37RV · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19910801038519IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Columbia/Mt Ple, TNLost directional control on rollout. Ran off side of runway into grass. Rudder pedal hinge bolt had backed out.Aug 1, 1991 · Minor damage