Amateur-built VANS RV-4 accident near York, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1997
On February 2, 1997 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built VANS RV-4, registered N42BN, was substantially damaged in an accident near York, Pennsylvania (York airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's delay in initiating a go-around, and his failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush and contact with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 2, 1997 · about 3:30 pm local time · cases in 1997
- Place
- York, Pennsylvania · York · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS RV-4
- Registration
- N42BN · registry record · serial 2394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner of a homebuilt Vans RV-4 airplane flew to his destination airport. He stated that he entered the down wind traffic pattern for landing, and observed an airplane on the taxiway, short of the runway. When he turned from base to final approach, the airplane on the ground taxied onto the runway. The RV-4 pilot elected to do 'S' turns to give the airplane on the runway time to depart, but it remained on the runway, so the RV-4 pilot initiated a go-around. Power was applied, and the wings were leveled, but the airplane continued to descend and contacted the ground. The airplane was damaged during ground contact, but it became airborne again and continued flying. The pilot then landed without further incident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 9,500 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 38 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 1996; 38 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W54 Westminster MD at 3:00 pm
- Destination: THV PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,188 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from MDT, 20 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N42BN on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Lycoming 0320-E3D 13 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- York Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Pennsylvania 1,836 since 1982 · 234 in the last ten years
- Pennsylvania 6,194 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC97LA050.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.