Amateur-built RV-7 accident near Nevada City, California, February 18, 2008
On February 18, 2008, a amateur-built RV-7, registered N331KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Nevada City, California (Nevada City Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the fuel pump, leading to a fatigue failure of the pump's lever arm and subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2008
- Place
- Nevada City, California · Nevada City Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-7
- Registration
- N331KM · no longer on the register · serial 71967
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the two-seat experimental airplane transmitted a distress call stating that he had lost engine power and could not restart the engine. Another pilot who was airborne at 5,500 feet msl (mean sea level) at the time of the accident said that he had radio communications with the pilot of the accident airplane. The accident pilot stated that he could not get the engine to restart, that he had tried everything, and he was going down. The pilot then observed the accident airplane in a controlled descent into an area populated by large trees. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the lever arm of the engine-driven fuel pump had failed in fatigue. Testing of the electric fuel boost pump demonstrated that it was capable of delivering fuel to the engine; however, the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge states that, in regard to fuel-injected engines, it is difficult to restart a hot engine or an engine that quits because of fuel starvation. The airplane logbooks documented that 44 days earlier the engine-driven fuel pump had been removed and replaced twice. After the first installation the engine would not run. The fuel pump was installed a second time, which resulted in successful engine operation. The engine ran for 16.1-hours before the fuel pump lever arm failed from a fatigue crack in the pivot area of the arm, causing the engine to lose power from fuel starvation. It is possible to incorrectly install this type of fuel pump. When the engine's fuel pump push rod is in the extended position it can interfere with the placement of the fuel pump lever arm during the installation, which results in it being obstructed or jammed against the engine case, possibly creating a crack in the pivot area of the lever arm. In this situation the engine usually does not run because the pump lever arm and engine push rod are not aligned correctly and fuel is not being pumped. The crack may not be visually detectable because the location is obscured by the pump case.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel pump › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel pumps › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel pumps › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 872 hours in all; 42 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 26, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 13, 2008; 29.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Xtreem 360 IO-360-B1AA4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KGOO Nevada City CA
- Destination: KGOO Nevada City CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from KBLU, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.