Vans RV 4 accident near De Soto, Mississippi, September 18, 2019
On September 18, 2019 at about 10:55 pm local time, a 1986 Vans RV 4, registered N64HS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near De Soto, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2019 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- De Soto, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans RV 4, built 1986
- Registration
- N64HS · registry record · serial 719
- 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. The airplane was at 4,500 ft mean sea level and descending when the low fuel pressure light illuminated; the engine immediately lost all power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing to a road, during which the airplane hit tree branches and veered off the road, resulting in substantial damage. A postaccident examination revealed only a small amount of fuel in the fuel tanks; neither tank was breached. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The circumstances are consistent with a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 16,300 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 15,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 2, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 994.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 22, 2019
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X35 Dunnellon FL at 8:05 pm
- Destination: MEI Meridian MS
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 10:58 pm from MEI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN19TA335.