Phillips Ralph W VANS RV8 N274CV

Summary

On 27 May 2021 at about 23:25 local time, a Phillips Ralph W VANS RV8 registered N274CV was involved in an accident near San Angelo, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 May 2021 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

San Angelo, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Mathis Field (SJT)

Coordinates

31.3580, -100.5007

Aircraft

Phillips Ralph W VANS RV8

Registration

N274CV

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA243

1 person was seriously injured.

The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the installation of a reduced flow fitting in the fuel line to the carburetor by maintenance personnel. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported an “engine failure” to the airport tower controller. The airplane impacted terrain off the end of the runway. The airplane came to rest upright, with substantial damage to the fuselage and wings during the accident.   The airplane had undergone maintenance with the installation of a new glass panel system, and the accident flight was the first flight after the installation. The avionic shop drained about 40 gallons of fuel from the tanks and added the fuel back for calibration.   The installation of the glass panel also added a fuel flow transducer tothe fuel line, between the pressure side of the engine driven fuel pump and carburetor. The engine-driven fuel pump outflow fitting had two fittings installed. The 3/8’s port was capped off with an AN929 fitting. The other port had a number 4 reduced flow fitting installed in the fuel line leading to the carburetor (through the fuel flow transducer). The reduced flow fitting would have prevented sufficient fuel flow to the carburetor once the fuel in the carburetor was consumed. The accident is consistent with the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.