Vans RV4 accident near Idabel, Oklahoma, July 22, 2020
On July 22, 2020 at about 10:45 pm local time, a 2009 Vans RV4, registered N54WP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Idabel, Oklahoma (Mccurtain County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper installation of an oil line, resulting in the loss of oil and 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
- July 22, 2020 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Idabel, Oklahoma · Mccurtain County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans RV4 Undesignat, built 2009
- Registration
- N54WP · no longer on the register · serial 2197
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a full stop landing to refuel on a cross-country flight in the experimental airplane, the pilot noticed a chaffed oil line leading to the propellor governor. The pilot, with assistance from a local mechanic, removed the damaged oil line and replaced it with a used serviceable line. The pilot pre-flighted the airplane, took off, and continued his flight. About 70 minutes into the flight, the pilot observed oil on the windscreen. As the pilot maneuvered for a precautionary landing at a nearby airport, the engine stopped producing power. About 1/2 mile from the airport, the pilot attempted to land on a roadway. The airplane impacted power lines and the ground. The pilot stated that he could not see the power lines through the oil-covered windscreen. The airplane came to rest in a ditch adjacent to the roadway, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage and empennage. Examination of the airplane and engine after the accident revealed a crack in the oil line leading to the propeller governor from its connection at the engine case. There was no clamp installed to secure the line. A conditional airworthiness inspection had recently been completed on the experimental airplane. According to Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directive (AD) 90-04-06R1, a clamp should have been installed on the oil line leading to the propeller governor. The pilot reported that when he replaced the oil line, there was no clamp present, so he did not install a clamp and was not aware of the applicable AD. He stated that had he been aware of the AD, he would have installed a new oil line and clamp. The available evidence indicates that the pilot’s improper installation of the oil line resulted in the in-flight loss of oil and subsequent total loss of engine power.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Eng oil sys (airframe furnish) › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Related maintenance info
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,776 hours in all; 332 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 19, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 670 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 1, 2020; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycpming IO 360 EXP (piston); 644 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TKX Kennett MO at 8:00 pm
- Destination: T56 Midlothian TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from 4O4, 1 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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 13, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorandum for the Record Pilot Report Summary CEN20LA301 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record Examination of Cracked Oil Line CEN20LA301 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Conditional Inspection Document CEN20LA301 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array CEN20LA301 | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Ad 90-04-06 R1 CEN20LA301 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N54WP 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.