Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, July 28, 2011
On July 28, 2011 at about 9:50 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N114DC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Fort Worth, Texas (Fort Worth Spinks Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2011 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Fort Worth Spinks Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N114DC · registry record · serial 057
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that the engine began to run rough after he leveled off from a descent, and shortly thereafter, it rolled back to idle power. The pilot established a glide to the nearest airport and attempted to troubleshoot the cause of the loss of power, but power was not restored, and he made a forced landing to a cornfield short of the runway. A postaccident examination of the carburetor and a test run of the engine revealed no evidence of pre-mishap mechanical deficiencies. The weather conditions at the time of the power loss were conducive to carburetor icing at glide and cruise power. The airplane was not equipped with carburetor heat.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 3,020 as pilot in command; 1,346 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSGR Sugar Land TX at 8:10 pm
- Destination: FWS Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from FWS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN11LA530.