Amateur-built RV9 accident near West Portsmouth, Ohio, June 4, 2021
On June 4, 2021 at about 10:45 pm local time, a 2006 amateur-built RV9, registered N20YY, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near West Portsmouth, Ohio. 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 improper use of the airplane’s fuel system, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2021 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- West Portsmouth, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV9 A, built 2006
- Registration
- N20YY · registry record · serial 90778
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he’d taken off and was about 10 minutes from the airport when the airplane’s engine lost power and began to descend. The pilot misdiagnosed the power loss as an electronic ignition problem and troubleshot it as such. However, after turning on the electric fuel pump and switching fuel tanks several times, the pilot was unable to restore engine power and elected to perform a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors reported that during a postaccident examination of the airplane the right fuel tank was empty, and the left fuel tank had about 4 gallons of fuel. The fuel selector had the right fuel tank selected. No other mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane were found that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot reported he spoke with the previous owner and was unaware that when switching fuel tanks, it could take about 10 seconds for the new tank to pick up fuel. The pilot reported that he had never run a fuel tank empty and was not familiar with how the engine would respond, and how long it would take for fuel to return to the engine when another fuel tank was selected.
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 initial climb
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 276.5 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 24.6 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 276.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 971 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 11, 2021; 15 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Titan X-361-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KPMH Portsmouth OH at 10:45 pm
- Destination: KFGX Flemingsburg KY
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from KDWU, 19 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDWU 042256Z AUTO 28004KT 10SM CLR 28/17 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP155 T02780172
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 CEN21LA250.