Ford RV-4 accident near Dansville, New York, October 8, 1997
On October 8, 1997 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Ford RV-4, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N17PQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dansville, New York (Dansville Airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The internal mechanical failure of the engine driven fuel pump which resulted in a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1997 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dansville, New York · Dansville Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ford RV-4, amateur-built
- Registration
- N17PQ · registry record · serial 1611
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot fueled the airplane the day prior, and stated that there should have been about 2.5 hours of fuel remaining. The next day, he flew for 20 minutes from one airport to another. On the ground for 5 minutes, he taxied to the runway, performed an engine run-up, and did not recalled any abnormalities. During the takeoff, at about 300 feet AGL, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted a right 180 degree turn, and the airplane impacted the ground in a 20 degree nose down attitude. The main landing gear collapsed aft, and the airplane slide to a stop in about 200 feet. Fuel was found in the carburetor bowl and the fuel line to the engine driven pump. No fuel was found in the line from the engine driven pump to the carburetor. Upon disassembly, the engine driven fuel pump incurred an internal mechanical failure.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,150 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1997; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSV at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 3G7 Williamson-Sodu NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,635 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 IAD98LA004.