Amateur-built RV9 accident near Steinhatchee, Florida, September 13, 2020
On September 13, 2020 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 2003 amateur-built RV9, registered N4889R, was destroyed in an accident during approach (IFR initial approach) near Steinhatchee, Florida (Cross City Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the air traffic controller to provide hazardous weather information to the pilot, resulting in the flight’s encounter with strong updraft conditions, an inflight loss of airplane control, and an in-flight breakup. Contributing was the pilot’s decision to initiate a flight into an area under the influence of a tropical storm, with forecast rain showers and thunderstorms, which increased the potential for an encounter with significant convective weather
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2020 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Steinhatchee, Florida · Cross City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV9 A, built 2003
- Registration
- N4889R · no longer on the register · serial 90421
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting an instrument flight rules cross-country flight into an area under the influence of a tropical storm, where rain showers and thunderstorms were forecast to prevail. About 1 hour and 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot requested to divert to an airport short of his destination due to weather. At that time, the tropical storm was located south of his position, with bands of rain showers and thunderstorms rotating counter-clockwise around it. The air traffic controller cleared the pilot for the approach; however, she did not provide any weather information to the pilot, to include the local altimeter setting, radar-depicted precipitation, weather advisories, or current destination weather as required by air traffic control directives. The pilot subsequently turned into an area of spiral rain bands, which was growing in size and intensity. The growing area of rain showers and thunderstorms was very unstable, with the potential for updrafts of about 12,000 ft/min. Radar and radio contact was subsequently lost, and wreckage of the airplane was located in the Gulf of Mexico, about 1 nautical mile offshore. Distribution of the wreckage and subsequent evidence observed during the postaccident wreckage examination were indicative of an in-flight breakup. The pilot’s decision to initiate a flight into an area under the influence of a tropical storm, with forecast rain showers and thunderstorms, increased the potential for an encounter with significant convective weather. Given this information it is likely that the flight encountered strong updrafts while in the growing rain shower band and in instrument meteorological conditions, which ultimately resulted in a loss of control and an in-flight breakup. Had the pilot been provided timely information on the hazardous weather conditions, it is likely that the accident could have been prevented.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during approach (IFR initial approach) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during approach (IFR initial approach)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft structural failure during approach (IFR initial approach)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › (general) › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › ATC personnel
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › ATC personnel
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Decision related to condition
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 592 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 26, 2020
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2G (piston); 2,853 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JKA Gulf Shores AL at 2:03 pm
- Destination: CTY Cross City FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from KCTY, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCTY 131615Z AUTO 12007KT 10SM SCT025 SCT031 SCT046 31/25 A2991 RMK AO2 T03070246=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
23 documents, released by the NTSB on August 19, 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.
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.