Amateur-built VANS RV 9A accident near Newark, Illinois, September 22, 2016
On September 22, 2016 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2006 amateur-built VANS RV 9A, registered N699RV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Newark, Illinois (Cushing Field LTD). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to properly assemble the fuel pump, which resulted in the loss of fuel pressure and the subsequent partial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2016 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Newark, Illinois · Cushing Field LTD · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS RV 9A NO SERIES, built 2006
- Registration
- N699RV · registry record · serial 90537
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a cross-country flight in an experimental airplane when he observed the fuel pressure fluctuating, and the engine began to surge. The pilot turned on the backup fuel pump but the engine continued to surge, so he diverted to a nearby airport. The pilot stated that he had difficulty visually acquiring the airport and was losing altitude while circling over the airport. He performed an "S" turn but was still too high. He was running out of runway below him, so he performed a "hard slip" to lose altitude. The airplane stalled 10-15 ft above the runway, hit the ground, and slid about 30 ft before stopping. The primary fuel pump had failed 4 days before the accident. The pilot replaced the fuel pump with a new unit that required partial assembly. He noted during assembly that there was not an O-ring where the lower fitting attached but that the mating surfaces were different between the two pumps and he had believed one was not required. The instructions with the new pump did not address the installation of an O-ring at the fitting. After the accident, the pilot reexamined the box the new fuel pump came in and found an O-ring for the lower fitting. Without the O-ring installed, the fuel system was not able to maintain the fuel pressure necessary to ensure smooth engine operation and resulted in the partial loss of engine power. The pilot stated the accident resulted from this maintenance issue.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel pumps › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel pump › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,573 hours in all; 515 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,573 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 16, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 515 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 11, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 17,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru EJ25 (piston); 315 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1C5 Bolingbrook IL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: K34 Gardner KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,831 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KC09, 10 miles away
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 CEN16LA387.