Rans RANS S7 COURIER accident near West Liberty, Kentucky, November 15, 2019
On November 15, 2019 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1991 Rans RANS S7 COURIER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N831RS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near West Liberty, Kentucky. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to verify that the engine oil tank contained adequate oil for the cross-country flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power as a result of lack of lubrication. Contributing to the accident was the incorrect oil consumption information listed in the pilot operating handbook.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2019 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Liberty, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans RANS S7 COURIER Undesignat, built 1991, amateur-built
- Registration
- N831RS · registry record · serial 0988031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route, about 2 hours into the cross-country flight, the engine lost all power. The pilot primed and restarted it twice; however, the engine would not sustain power. On the third attempt at restarting, the pilot noted that the propeller would not turn over, and he elected to perform a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and engine mounts. Examination of the engine revealed that the oil injection tank was empty, and the aft piston exhibited vertical scoring, consistent with lack of lubrication. It is likely that the aft piston seized in flight as a result of a lack of lubrication, which resulted in the total loss of engine power. Leak testing of the oil system revealed no leakage; therefore, it is likely that the pilot departed on the flight without sufficient oil. Although the pilot should have checked the oil before the flight, the pilot operating handbook, which was written by the builder, contained incorrect oil consumption information, which likely contributed to the pilot's misunderstanding of the amount of oil needed for flight.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Not inspected
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Related records
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 427 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 341 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 23, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 651 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 15, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 203 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I18 Ravenswood WV at 5:20 pm
- Destination: MQY Smyrna TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from JKL, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on June 24, 2020. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Interview Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Engine Examination Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Engine Maintenance Log Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Airplane Flight Manual | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Airplane Checklists | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Rotax 582 Operations Manual Excerpt - Oil Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.