Amateur-built RV-3 accident near Deer Valley, Arizona, February 28, 2003
On February 28, 2003 at about 5:20 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-3, registered N87BC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deer Valley, Arizona (Phoenix-Deer Valley Muni 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper use of carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor icing and loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2003 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Deer Valley, Arizona · Phoenix-Deer Valley Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-3
- Registration
- N87BC · registry record · serial RC-1-57
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over during a forced landing following an engine power loss. The pilot reported that after about 35 minutes of flying the engine began to lose power. He applied carburetor heat and turned on the fuel boost pumps. He also manipulated the throttle, but it did not restore the engine power. The pilot executed a forced landing on to a dirt road, and during the rollout the main gear hit a rock and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported he thought the engine problem was caused by carburetor ice. The temperature was 52 degrees Fahrenheit and the dew point was 43 degrees Fahrenheit. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the conditions were conductive for serious carburetor icing at cruise power.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 210.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 6, 2002; 41.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Deer Valley AZ at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 5:09 pm from DVT, 4 miles away
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.
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.