Ryan NAVION accident near Ischua, New York, October 16, 1983
On October 16, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION, registered N4613K, was destroyed in an accident near Ischua, New York (Olean Muni airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ischua, New York · Olean Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N4613K · no longer on the register · serial NAV 4-1613
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED AT THE ARPT FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS FLT. DURING THAT TIME, THE ENG HAD BEEN OVERHAULED. BEFORE TAKING OFF ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLT, 37 GAL OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE CENTER TANK. ALSO, THE PLT WAS OBSERVED WORKING IN THE ENG AREA BEFORE TAKING OFF. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO TURN TO A DOWNWIND LEG, THEN THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH & FINALLY QUIT RUNNING. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE ACFT HIT AN EMBANKMENT BEFORE REACHING THE RWY. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED HEAD INJURIES & COULD NOT REMEMBER DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED A LOOSE B-NUT ON A FLEX LINE TO THE FUEL STRAINER. THE EXTERIOR OF THE ENGINE WAS BADLY DAMAGE. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCIES THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS.
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: 299 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 197 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,104 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 1982; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.