Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Russellville, Alabama, December 26, 1988
On December 26, 1988 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N77SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Russellville, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1988 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Russellville, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N77SA · registry record · serial 77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 2500 FEET WITH RAM AIR GATE OPEN, ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PLT CLOSED THE RAM AIR GATE AND APPLIED CARB HEAT BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH AND THEN STOPPED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD, CLEARING SEVERAL LARGE TREES, HOWEVER, AS HE APPROACHED THE AREA, HE WAS TOO LOW TO AVOID THE TREES. HE INTENTIONALLY STALLED THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN IMPACT WITH THE GROUND AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARB ICE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 531 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 449 as pilot in command; 81 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 22, 1988; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Muscle Shoals AL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: M22 Russellville AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N77SA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.