# NTSB ERA22LA416: William L Bell Vans RV-7A, N40WB, Warrenton, VA, September 13, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 13, 2022, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Warrenton, VA · Pond - Coordinates: 38.74, -77.69 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7400&lon=-77.6900&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105935 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA416 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105935/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105935 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA416 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane could not be examined. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [William L Bell VANS RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05637S1), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [William L Bell VANS RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=05637S1), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [William L Bell VANS RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05637S1), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [William L Bell VANS RV-7A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05637S1), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, while in cruise at 2,500 ft mean sea level during a cross-country flight, the engine started to “sputter and surge” followed rapidly by a total loss of power. The pilot completed the emergency checklist by switching fuel tanks, turning on the fuel boost pump, and richening the mixture, but was unsuccessful in his multiple attempts to regain power; he performed a forced landing to a pond due to the densely populated area around him. The airplane impacted the water left-wing-low and was substantially damaged. The wreckage was discarded before it could be further examined; therefore, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On September 13, 2022, about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Vans RV-7A, N40WB, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Warrenton, Virginia. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, who was also the owner of the airplane, he was in cruise flight at 2,500 ft mean sea level during a cross-country flight when the engine started to “sputter and surge,” followed rapidly by a total power loss. The pilot completed the emergency checklist by switching fuel tanks, turning on the fuel boost pump and adding full mixture, but was unsuccessful in his multiple attempts to regain power; he subsequently landed in a pond due to the otherwise densely populated area around him. The airplane impacted the water left-wing-low and cartwheeled before flipping over and coming to rest upside down. Photographs of the wreckage confirmed substantial damage; both wings were crushed, and the airframe was buckled. The left fuel tank was full and the fuel selector was on the left tank. A local towing company that did not specialize in aircraft recovery and salvage was asked by local authorities to recover the wreckage from the water and transport it to their yard. The wreckage was subsequently discarded before it could be examined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N40WB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N40WB), registered now, S/N 71857, built 2021 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: WILLIAM L BELL VANS RV-7A - Registry model: [William L Bell VANS RV-7A](https://openairdocs.org/model/william-l-bell-vans-rv-7a) (registry code 05637S1) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming YIO-360-M1B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-yio-360-m1b) (registry code 42414, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 71857 - Year built: 2021 - Airframe hours: 63.1 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, August 7, 2022, 21.8 hours before - Departed: THV, York, PA - Destination: EZF, Fredericksburg, VA - Flight plan: VFR/IFR - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Onboard weather, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 8, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 1,449.7 total, 63.1 in this make and model, 23.1 in the last 90 days, 21.7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: HWY, 9 nm away - METAR: KHWY 132115Z AUTO 24003KT 10SM CLR 27/11 A2982 RMK AO2 T02710114 ## 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 20220913020559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220913020559A), Sep 13, 2022: William L Bell VANS RV-7A, Warrenton, VA, Substantial damage. 9-13-2022 - 2101 - Accident pilot reported to ATC he had lost thrust. The engine began sputtering and the accident pilot executed the engine failure checklist.… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105935. 5.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16170666&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilots%206120_1_N40WB_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 313 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16169721&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Site%20and%20Damage%20Photographs_N40WB-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records excerpt (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16170428&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MX%20Records%20Excerpt_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record_salvage (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16177019&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record_Salvage-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.