Amateur-built RV8 accident near Bottineau, North Dakota, October 6, 2015
On October 6, 2015 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 2015 amateur-built RV8, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Bottineau, North Dakota (Bottineau Municipal Airport). It was a flight test 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
The pilot/builder’s failure to ensure that the fuel line was properly secured, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2015 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bottineau, North Dakota · Bottineau Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV8, built 2015
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 83270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner had just finished building the unregistered, noncertificated airplane and was conducting the flight to seat the piston rings on the newly installed engine. The pilot reported that, during the flight, he detected the odor of fuel in the cockpit. He continued the flight, and shortly after, the engine power decreased to idle. He continued to fly away from the airport while he tried to regain engine power. The pilot then turned back toward to the airport, and the engine subsequently experienced a total loss of power. The pilot determined that the airplane was not going to be able to reach the airport, so he chose a field for a forced landing. During the landing, the pilot lost directional control of the airplane due to the rough terrain, and the airplane impacted a parked tractor. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the fuel line between the mechanical fuel pump and the fuel injection servo was disconnected. The pilot stated that the engine was delivered with this fuel line installed and that he did not check the tightness of the fuel lines after installing the engine on the airplane.
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 defining event
- Fuel starvation during enroute
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Owner/builder
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 538 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 10, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Aero Sport Power IO-375-M1S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D09 Bottineau ND at 11:00 pm
- Destination: D09 Bottineau ND
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG 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.