Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Metz, West Virginia, October 3, 2003
On October 3, 2003 at about 9:25 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N475F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Metz, West Virginia (Morgantown 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 decision to operate without accurate fuel gauges, which resulted in a power loss due to fuel exhaustion, and an off airport landing
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2003 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Metz, West Virginia · Morgantown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N475F · no longer on the register · serial BWS4
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was en route to his home base, with a homebuilt kit airplane when the engine lost power, after about 2.4 hours of flight. During the forced landing the airplane struck an electrical pole. Examination revealed the fuel tanks were empty, and there was no evidence of a fuel spill on the ground, although both fuel tanks were ruptured. There was no blue staining on the top of the wings, or under the fuselage, although heavy rains had fallen for two days between the accident, and its examination by the FAA. There were no loose fittings on the fuel line leading to the engine. The spark plugs were slate gray in appearance, and thumb compression was found in all cylinders. The pilot reported that the fuel gauges were inaccurate and fuel consumption on the 2 previous flights had averaged between 8.5 and 9.5 gallons per hour. At the last refueling, the pilot had requested that the fuel servicing person leave about 1 inch of space at the top of the fuel tank. The pilot reported that when he preflighted the airplane, he thought the fuel level was down about 1 inch from the top of the tank, The fuel tanks were reported to hold 16 gallons in each wing. A representative of the kit manufacturer reported that the fuel tank capacity could vary by a few gallons, along with the amount of unusable fuel due to variations in fuel tank assembly by builders. The experimental operating limitations issued by the FAA for the airplane required an operative fuel indicating system to indicate the amount of fuel in each tank.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 9,680 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DNV Danville IL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: MGW Morgantown WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MGW, 21 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.