Amateur-built VANS RV-4 accident near Apex, North Carolina, May 14, 2000
On May 14, 2000 at about 5:15 pm local time, a amateur-built VANS RV-4, registered N45DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apex, North Carolina. It was a personal 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 for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2000 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Apex, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS RV-4
- Registration
- N45DR · registry record · serial 1684
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness observed the airplane on takeoff roll; the airplane became airborne and started a shallow left turn over the trees. The witness heard a sound like the engine backfired, observed black smoke- and watched the airplane until it disappeared from view. Another witness saw the airplane through the window of his house. The nose of the airplane was in a 45-degree nose high attitude over the trees and he did not hear any engine noise. It appeared to the witness that the pilot did not have control of the airplane. It came down like a tree falling. The airplane collide with the ground wings level with the fuselage intact and slid about 10 feet before colliding with trees in his front yard. Examination of the airframe flight controls and engine assembly revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 14, 2000
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NA Apex NC at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from RDU, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N45DR 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.