Van's RV6 N94PJ

Summary

On 7 June 2021 at about 21:20 local time, a Van's RV6 registered N94PJ was involved in an accident near Porterville, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 June 2021 at 21:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Porterville, California, United States

Nearest airport

Porterville Muni (PTV)

Coordinates

36.0361, -119.0700

Aircraft

Van's RV6

Registration

N94PJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fresno

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR21FA223

1 person died.

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available information.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed from his home airport earlier in the day and landed at the accident airport to refuel. The pilot refueled the airplane with about 17.5 gallons and then started the engine. A witness reported the engine start sounded as though it was a “hot start” with the airplane rpm’s immediately accelerating to a near-maximum setting. The airplane then proceeded to take off and, as it climbed, the engine was making “popping” sounds. Surveillance video showed the airplane made a hard right bank, with the wings near perpendicular to the ground, consistent with the pilot attempting to return to the airport. A performance study of the video revealed that when the airplane reached its maximum altitude of about 240 ft, its ground speed had decreased well below the stall speed. The airplane then assumed a wings-level attitude consistent with the pilot correcting for the steep attitude. Thereafter, the airplane rapidly descended in a left-wing-low attitude nearly perpendicular to the terrain before impacting the ground and immediately erupted into flames. Postaccident examination revealed that the keys were out of the ignition and the fuel selector was in the “OFF” position. Given the available evidence it is unknown if the pilot had intentionally chosen to configure the airplane with the selector off. The engine examination revealed no obvious reason for the loss of engine power as described by the witness. The fuel system was partially destroyed by fire; as a result, the continuity and functionality of the fuel system could not be ascertained.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.