# NTSB CEN22LA071: Vans RV8, N421RT, Wichita Falls, TX, December 4, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 4, 2021, 16:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Wichita Falls, TX - Coordinates: 33.904326, -98.509522 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9043&lon=-98.5095&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Lubbock FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104390 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA071 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104390/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104390 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA071 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper fuel management that resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Boone Richard VANS RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05629UQ), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Boone Richard VANS RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=05629UQ), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Boone Richard VANS RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=05629UQ), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Boone Richard VANS RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05629UQ), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Boone Richard VANS RV8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05629UQ), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N421RT), registered now, S/N 82522, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VANS RV8 - Registry model: [Boone Richard VANS RV8](https://openairdocs.org/model/boone-richard-vans-rv8) (registry code 05629UQ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 82522 - Year built: 2010 - Airframe hours: 658 - Engines: 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; seat: front; restraint: 5-point - Pilot-rated passenger; injuries: serious; 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 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20211204020339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211204020339A), Dec 4, 2021: Boone Richard VANS RV8, Iowa Park, TX, Substantial damage. On 12/4/21, at 1640 CST, a van?s RV-8 aircraft bearing registration number N421RT, registered to a private owner, impacted terrain .5 miles from approach end… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 13, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104390. 7.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - pilot rated passenger/aircraft owner (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13714623&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - FAA (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13715520&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RECORD%20OF%20CONVERSATION%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - witness (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15766358&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20of%20Conversation%20Witness_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - america's aircraft engines (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16079502&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20-%20Steve%20Fowler-Rel.pdf - Photo log (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 602 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13717353&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Log-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.