- Date
- December 4, 2021, 16:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wichita Falls, TX
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N421RTVans RV8
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 3
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Lubbock FSDO
- FAA report
- 20211204020339A
- Case key
- 104390
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper fuel management that resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot-rated passenger, who was the airplane owner/builder, stated while the airplane was returning to the departure airport for landing, there was a total loss of engine power on final approach. The pilot performed a forced landing and the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed there was useable fuel in the left fuel tank, and there was no useable fuel in the right fuel tank. There were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The loss of engine power was consistent with fuel starvation.
Factual narrative
On December 4, 2021, at 1630 central standard time, a Vans RV8, N421RT, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Wichita Falls, Texas. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot-rated passenger, who was the airplane owner/builder, stated that while the airplane was returning to the departure airport for landing, there was a total loss of engine power on final approach. The pilot performed a forced landing along the final approach path and the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. \ Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed there was useable fuel in the left fuel tank, and there was no useable fuel in the right fuel tank. A witness who responded to the accident, turned the fuel selector from the right fuel tank to the off position. There were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N421RT
- Reported as
- Vans RV8
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 82522
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 658
- Engine
- America's Aircraft Engines IOX-360-A4H9N, 197 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 22, 2021
- Departed
- FDR · Frederick, TX
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- F14 · Wichita Valley Airport, runway 31, 3,320 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 5-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- SPS, 6 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 13, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.