Amateur-built W-8 accident near Mineral, Virginia, May 20, 1995
On May 20, 1995 at about 4:57 pm local time, a amateur-built W-8, registered N13PE, was destroyed in an accident near Mineral, Virginia (Holly Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an electrical system problem that resulted in a blown (failed) fuze and an inoperative electric fuel pump, which in turn resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1995 · about 4:57 pm local time
- Place
- Mineral, Virginia · Holly Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built W-8
- Registration
- N13PE · registry record · serial 72
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED IN THE HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE THAT HE PURCHASED 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AND THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT, NOSED DOWN, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. EXAMINATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. NO FUEL WAS DETECTED IN CARBURETOR, AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP. THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP MOUNTED ON THE FIREWALL CONTAINED FUEL, AND WHEN TESTED, OPERATED NORMALLY. EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT REVEALED THAT OF THE FOUR SWITCHES AND FOUR FUSES, ONLY THE MASTER SWITCH WAS LABELED. THE MASTER SWITCH FUSE FILAMENT WAS OBSERVED TO BE BROKEN.
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: 1,798 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1,798 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 4:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from CHO, 27 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC95LA115.