# NTSB FTW86FPA07: Bill Mccarley RV-4, N448RV, Gatesville, TX, November 23, 1985

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Final report
- Date: November 23, 1985, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place: Gatesville, TX
- Coordinates: 31.440984, -97.729476 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.4410&lon=-97.7295&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 21923
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW86FPA07
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/21923/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW86FPA07

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, maneuvering
  - aerobatics - performed, passenger
  - object - tree(s)
  - stall - inadvertent, passenger (cause)
  - altitude - inadequate, passenger (cause)
  - aircraft handling - misjudged, passenger (cause)
  - supervision - inattentive, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. THE PIC SAID THAT THE PASS'G/PLT HAD FLOWN THE LAST PART OF THE FLT. FOLLOWING A MANEUVER AT APRX 500 FT AGL, THE ACFT WAS MANEUVERED INTO A CLIMBING LEFT TURN DURING WHICH IT CONTINUED TO ROLL UNTIL INVERTED. THE PASS'G/PLT, ACCORDING TO THE PIC, REDUCED POWER AND TRIED TO PULL THE ACFT NOSE THROUGH THE DIVE TO RECOVERY. DURING THE BOTTOM OF THE MANEUVER THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE WINGS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT BY THE COLLISION WITH THE TREES AFTER WHICH THE ACFT NOSED DOWN INTO THE GROUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N448RV (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BILL MCCARLEY RV-4
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 448
- Airframe hours: 50
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-320-EZA 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: James & Billy Mccarley
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, July 10, 1985, 50 hours before
- Departed: O5F, GATESVILLE, TX
- Destination: O5F, GATESVILLE, TX
- Airport: O5F, Gatesville City - County, runway 36, 3,400 × 50 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 239 total, 25 in this make and model, 239 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 700 ft overcast
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ACT, 37 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 19851123057879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19851123057879A), Nov 23, 1985: Amtrvn VANSRV4, Gatesville, TX, Destroyed. Rolled, inverted at low altitude under a low overcast. Struck trees before recovery could be made.

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.