Amateur-built RV6 accident near Hartford, Kentucky, July 24, 2011
On July 24, 2011 at about 4:05 pm local time, a amateur-built RV6, registered N164BF, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Hartford, Kentucky. 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
A loss of engine power due to fuel contamination as a result of the pilot/owner's inadequate maintenance of the airplane's fuel system, which resulted in blockage of the fuel lines and filters.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2011 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Hartford, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV6
- Registration
- N164BF · registry record · serial 24368
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner/builder stated that the airplane was in cruise flight at 7,000 feet mean sea level when he moved the fuel selector from the left main tank to the right auxiliary tank. The engine ran for a short time before it "stumbled," and lost power. The pilot’s efforts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, so he elected to shut off the fuel and perform a forced landing to a road. During the landing, the airplane struck a guardrail. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that several fuel system components and screens were partially or fully occluded with particles that resembled rust and material with the appearance, odor, and consistency of varnish. According to the pilot, his use of the auxiliary tanks was intermittent, and he had serviced them with fuel just prior to departing on the accident flight. He further explained that the varnish material from the right auxiliary tank had completely occluded the fuel line, filter, and "blocked all fuel supply to the engine," which resulted in a 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
- Fuel contamination during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Not serviced/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Owner/builder
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,643 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,506 as pilot in command; 397 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 941 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 15, 2011; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBWG Bowling Green KY at 3:20 pm
- Destination: KOSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KOWB, 20 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.
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.