Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Trinity, Virginia, September 1, 2024
On September 1, 2024 at about 3:38 pm local time, a 2000 amateur-built RV-6A, registered N136TR, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Trinity, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots’ improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2024 · about 3:38 pm local time
- Place
- Trinity, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A, built 2000
- Registration
- N136TR · registry record · serial 34132
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that before departing for the 508 nautical mile cross-country flight, he had a total of 38 gallons of fuel onboard. After departing his home airport, the pilot climbed the airplane to 11,000 ft mean sea level (msl) and was flying “[visual flight rules] on top.” While at 11,000 ft msl, the pilot requested radar vectors around some weather from air traffic control (ATC), during which time, the pilot noticed that his fuel consumption was much higher than he had anticipated. The pilot asked ATC for radar vectors to the nearest airport. The pilot described that the airplane “ran out of fuel” about 7 miles from the diversion airport. The pilot performed a forced landing in a field, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage and wings. A postaccident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that both wing fuel tanks were absent of fuel and there was no evidence of a fuel leak. After the airplane was recovered, the airframe and engine’s fuel systems were examined in detail and there was no evidence of any preimpact anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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 enroute
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 227.3 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 6.4 in the last 90 days; 1.3 in the last 30 days; 127.9 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 21, 2024
- Medical certificate: Unknown (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 803 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 2024; 31.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 803 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VPZ Valparaison IN at 1:00 pm
- Destination: FCI Richmond VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; a few clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from ROA, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KROA 011554Z VRB06KT 10SM FEW095 BKN110 26/20 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP163 T02560200=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on January 21, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Mor - FAA on Scene Fuel Observations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Fuel System Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 ERA24LA367.