Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Davie, Florida, April 12, 1995
On April 12, 1995 at about 3:27 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N233AB, was destroyed in an accident near Davie, Florida (Fort Lauderdale Executive 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
ENGINE FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FUEL MISMANAGEMENT. A LOSS OF CONTROL FOLLOWED AS THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE WHILE MANEUVERING FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1995 · about 3:27 pm local time
- Place
- Davie, Florida · Fort Lauderdale Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N233AB · registry record · serial 1233
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE FLYING WESTERLY ABOUT 300 FT AGL, THEN BANK TO THE RIGHT AND DESCEND NOSE LOW IMPACTING THE HIGHWAY. THE AIRPLANE SLID ACROSS THE TWO EASTBOUND LANES OF THE HIGHWAY, CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE GRASS MEDIAN, AND WAS DESTROYED BY POSTCRASH FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WAS RUPTURED AT THE INBOARD FORWARD SECTION. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS NOT RUPTURED, AND NO FUEL WAS NOTED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS REVEALED ABOUT 20.7 GALS OF FUEL USED SINCE LAST REFUELING. EACH FUEL TANK HOLDS ABOUT 16 GALS OF FUEL.
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
- Flight time: 580 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1994; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from FXE, 19 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.