# NTSB ERA25LA162: Ruys Nicholas G RV-8, N8EV, Bennettsville, SC, March 28, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 28, 2025, 08:45 local (12:45 UTC) - Place: Bennettsville, SC - Coordinates: 34.621709, -79.734359 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6217&lon=-79.7344&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 199947 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA162 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199947/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199947 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA162 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Ruys Nicholas G RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=05606WC), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Ruys Nicholas G RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=05606WC), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Ruys Nicholas G RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=05606WC), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Ruys Nicholas G RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05606WC), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370); cases with it: [Ruys Nicholas G RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=05606WC), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Ruys Nicholas G RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05606WC), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis As the pilot prepared for the accident flight he observed an unquantified amount of fuel in the airplane’s fuel tanks and assumed that the airplane had been fully refueled after his request to the airport fuel provider 5 days prior. He subsequently reset the airplane’s fuel totalizer to indicate full fuel tanks and departed. About 1.5 hours into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of about 8,000 ft. mean sea level, the airplane’s engine lost power completely. He diverted towards a nearby airport and made a series of descending turns to lose altitude. When he made his turn to a 1-mile final approach to the runway, he had lost too much altitude and made a forced landing in a field ¼-mile off the approach end of the runway. The left and right main landing gear separated from the fuselage during the landing and the fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that both fuel tanks were absent of fuel. The examination otherwise found no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. According to the fuel provider at the departure airport, they had no record indicating that the airplane had been serviced with fuel prior to the accident pilot’s departure. Given this information, it is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel exhaustion. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8EV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8EV), registered now, S/N 80568, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RUYS NICHOLAS G RV-8 - Registry model: [Ruys Nicholas G RV-8](https://openairdocs.org/model/ruys-nicholas-g-rv-8) (registry code 05606WC) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 80568 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 194.4 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 A1A 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 20, 2025, 13 hours before - Departed: CPK, Chesapeake, VA - Destination: CDN, Camden, SC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: BBP, Marlboro County Jetport - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 25, 2024; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 674 total, 96 in this make and model, 565.6 as pilot in command, 10.9 in the last 90 days, 6.9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.38 inHg - Observed at: BBP - METAR: KBBP 281235Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 07/07 A3038 RMK AO2 ## 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 20250328002659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250328002659A), Mar 28, 2025: Ruys Nicholas G RV-8, Bennettsville, SC, Substantial damage. On Friday March 28th 2025, an experimental van’s RV-8 experienced a sudden engine stoppage during cruise flight. Pilot attempted an unsuccessful dead stick… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199947. 8.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19215724&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 726 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18605078&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N8EV%20report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's interview memorandum for record (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18604155&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20Johnny%20Paul-Rel.pdf - FBO account manager's statement (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18604220&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Horizon%20Flight%20Center%20Fuel%20Service%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 5, PDF, 6 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18605622&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA25LA162%20Photo%20Array-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.