Vans Aircraft RV-6 accident near Stringer, Mississippi, December 3, 2007
On December 3, 2007 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Vans Aircraft RV-6, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N29RV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stringer, Mississippi (Bobby L Chain Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2007 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Stringer, Mississippi · Bobby L Chain Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft RV-6 A, amateur-built
- Registration
- N29RV · registry record · serial 22789
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 72-hour private pilot reported that approximately 2-hours and 10-minutes into his 425-nautical mile flight, while in cruise flight at 5,500 feet MSL, his single-engine airplane experienced a complete loss of engine power. Several attempts to re-start the engine were unsuccessful and the pilot elected to execute a forced landing to a grass field. During the emergency descent, the pilot noted that the left and right fuel gauges indicated approximately one-fourth a tank of fuel per side. During the landing roll the nose landing gear sunk into the soft ground and the airplane nosed-over coming to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site and examined the airplane. The inspector reported that both fuel tanks were found empty and that they did not appear to be compromised. In addition, the inspector reported that he did not observe fuel stains suggesting the fuel had leaked out. The inspector further reported that the right wing had sustained structural damage. The pilot reported that he performed a pre-flight inspection of the airplane and visually verified that both fuel tanks were full prior to departure. Fueling records at the departure airport established that the airplane was last fueled two days earlier, with the addition of 30.6 gallons of fuel. The homebuilt airplane had a total fuel capacity of 38-gallons, which provides for a cross-country range of approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes. The pilot had planned for a 2 hour and 29 minute flight. The airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A1D engine. According to the operator's manual for the engine, the normal fuel consumption rate for that engine is 10.5 gallons per hour at 2,450 rpm (75 percent rated 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 772 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FSM Fort Smith AR
- Destination: BFM Mobile AL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KHBG, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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 DFW08CA042.