Amateur-built Vans RV-6A accident near Carthage, Texas, December 14, 2003
On December 14, 2003 at about 7:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Vans RV-6A, registered N528DH, was destroyed in an accident near Carthage, Texas (Panola County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall,
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2003 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carthage, Texas · Panola County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Vans RV-6A
- Registration
- N528DH · no longer on the register · serial 22528
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight arrived at the airport after one hour of touch and go landings at a another nearby airport. The flight reported on Unicom being established on the downwind for runway 35. Witnesses reported that following the approach, the airplane appeared to have touched down on runway 35. The airplane was then observed climbing through 300 or 400 feet agl, and then the aircraft "stalled, the nose dropped to about 30 degrees below the horizon, and the airplane entered a right spin." Another witness reported that the engine lost power and the flight initiated a right 180-degree turn to attempt to return to the airport. The airplane impacted the ground on a heading nearly the opposite of the takeoff heading in a nearly level attitude, bounced once and came to rest about 25 feet beyond the point of initial impact on a measured heading of 185 degrees, approximately 1,000 feet to the east of the centerline of runway 35. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the damage was consistent with that of a nearly level attitude, at a high rate of descent, in a slight right turn. Examination of the engine revealed that no fuel was found in the carburetor, the gascolator, or the fuel line feeding the engine. The reason for the reported fuel starvation could not be determined.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 473 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 18, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 4, 2003; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: General Motors 4.3 liter V6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASL Marshall TX at 6:15 pm
- Destination: 4F2 Carthage TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from GGG, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N528DH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.