Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Vail, Washington, June 29, 2003
On June 29, 2003 at about 4:55 am local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N6596X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vail, Washington (Flying B 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
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight decision by failing to refuel while en route, resulting in fuel exhaustion. Contributing factors were the non-operating (vandalized) runway lights, the pilot's delayed departure to his destination, dusk light conditions, rough/uneven terrain and high vegetation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2003 · about 4:55 am local time
- Place
- Vail, Washington · Flying B · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N6596X · registry record · serial 693
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed the private airstrip the morning after the proprietary runway lights had been disabled due to vandalism. He flew 1.8 hours to attend a family reunion and then departed shortly after 1930 back to his point of origination. The aircraft crashed at 2155. A relative familiar with the aircraft reported that the fuel consumption was about 8 gallons per hour and the aircraft was equipped with two 16 gallon wing tanks. There was no evidence that the pilot acquired any fuel after departing and no record of refueling for the return flight. The aircraft, which was observed flying westbound, crashed 3 miles south-southwest of the destination airstrip. Post crash examination revealed less than an ounce of fuel in the aircraft's fuel lines. The sun was approximately -7 degrees below the horizon at the time of the accident (dusk). The aircraft was observed to touch down in a 1,000 foot long open field of high grass overlying slightly rough terrain, roll a short distance and then nose over. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the standard roll bar aft of the forward pilot's seat had been replaced with a significantly lower roll bar.
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: 1,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S80 Grangeville ID at 3:00 am
- Destination: 8WA0 Yelm WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 am from OLM, 12 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 SEA03FA121.