# Incident 20160610013829I: Joseph P. May VANS RV-6, Halsey, OR, June 10, 2016

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 10, 2016, 16:05 local time
- Place: Halsey, OR
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.3828° N, 123.1095° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Halsey, OR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3828&lon=-123.1095&mi=10
- Aircraft: N164BJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N164BJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Joseph P May VANS RV-6 (registry code 05634MP, https://openairdocs.org/model/joseph-p-may-vans-rv-6) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: JOSEPH P. MAY VANS RV-6
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 3,600 total, 20 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160610013829I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^BUILDER AND 2ND PILOT (SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT) PLANNED FOR AND FUELED FOR A 200NM ROUND TRIP FROM KEUG TO KSPB. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP WAS FOR MEASURING THE INTERIOR, AND FUEL FLOW COMPUTATIONS. BOTH TANKS WERE COMPLETELY FILLED AT KEUG PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PILOT CLAIMS THAT THE 200NM ROUND TRIP SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ABOUT 1.5 HOURS OF FLYING TIME AND ABOUT 15 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE MOST. (BASED ON A MAXIMUM OF 10 GPH FUEL FLOW.)

PILOT STATED THAT ON THE RETURN TRIP, THE NUMBER 3 EGT INDICATED HIGH, AND THE NUMBER 3 CHT INDICATED LOW. BOTH PILOTS WERE AWARE OF THESE READINGS. OVER SALEM, THE TEMPERATURES BEGAN TO READ ERRATIC-HIGH AND LOW-AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE FAILED.

ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, (PILOT SEATED IN LEFT SEAT) SWITCHED TANKS AND (PILOT SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT) TURNED THE BOOST PUMP TO ON. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART AND (PILOT SEATED IN LEFT SEAT) IMMEDIATELY GAVE (PILOT SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT) THE CONTROLS. PILOTS HAD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED EMERGENCIES AND AGREED THAT (PILOT SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT) WAS BETTER PREPARED TO HANDLE A SERIOUS EMERGENCY. PILOT SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE A RUNWAY, BUT QUICKLY REALIZED IT WAS A ROAD WITH POWER LINES, SO HE CHANGED PLANS AND LANDED IN THE FIELD CAUSING ONLY MINOR COSMETIC DAMAGE.  POST FLIGHT INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS IN FACT EMPTY.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK, THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT TANK WAS FILLED WITH 15 GALLONS OF FUEL (THE LEFT TANK STILL HAD ABOUT 15 GALLONS REMAINING) AND WAS FLOWN TO KEUG, ABOUT 12 MINUTES FLYING TIME. THE FLIGHT AND LANDING WERE UNEVENTFUL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^BUILDER STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE HIS MECHANIC THOROUGHLY EXAMINE THE AIRCRAFT TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF RAPID FUEL BURN, PRIOR TO FURTHER FLIGHT.

## Other reports on N164BJ (1)

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

- [Incident 20250822016429I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250822016429I), Aug 22, 2025: Joseph P May VANS RV-6 (N164BJ), Medford, OR, Minor damage. Pilot was attempting to do a wheel landing and the aircraft bounced. The pilot misjudged the altitude above the runway resulting in a propeller strike. Pilot…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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