Amateur-built RV 4 accident near New Waverly, Texas, October 19, 2013
On October 19, 2013 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1990 amateur-built RV 4, registered N10XP, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near New Waverly, Texas (Estates Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight fire for reasons that could not be determined because the wreckage was consumed by fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2013 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Waverly, Texas · Estates Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV 4 NO SERIES, built 1990
- Registration
- N10XP · registry record · serial 1130
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he smelled "electrical" smoke during a cross-country flight in his experimental amateur-built airplane. The pilot decided to land immediately and moved the throttle to idle. He diverted the airplane, but, when he realized that the airplane was not going to be able to reach the diversion airpark, he executed a precautionary landing to a pasture. The airplane was intact when it came to rest. After the pilot exited the airplane, he saw smoke and flames coming from the tunnel located at the firewall between the rudder pedals that housed the forward stick assembly, fuel filter, fuel selector valve, electric fuel boost pump, and a conduit for wires from the back of the airplane. The stainless steel firewall remained intact; however, the wires and controls that ran through the fittings were burned. The pilot reported that no fuel was seeping, that he saw no blue stains, and that he did not smell fuel in the cockpit. The cause of the in-flight fire could not be determined due to the extent of the fire damage.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute defining event
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,500 hours in all; 1,548 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 13,578 as pilot in command; 1,435 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,473.6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 24, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Matituck TMX IO 360 (piston); 465 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 00R Livingston TX at 8:40 pm
- Destination: New Waverly TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KCXO, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.