Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Wenatchee, Washington, July 26, 2003
On July 26, 2003 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-6A, registered N272JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wenatchee, Washington (Pangborn Memorial Airport). It was a personal flight 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
Fuel starvation following the separation of a purge valve assembly as a result of the builders failure to re-safety the face retaining/stop screw on the fuel vapor purge valve after the safety wire on the subject screw was removed in order to change the angular mounting position of the valve. Factors include an apple orchard near the edge of the field that pilot was trying to glide to.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2003 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wenatchee, Washington · Pangborn Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A
- Registration
- N272JT · registry record · serial 23975
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental aircraft had just departed runway 30, and was about 400 feet above the ground, when it experienced a complete loss of engine power. The pilot then turned toward an empty field where he was going to attempt an engine-out forced landing, but he was unable to reach the field, and the aircraft impacted an orchard of young apple trees just short of the selected field. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the screw holding the valve retaining faceplate on the Airflow Performance Purge Valve Assembly had come loose, allowing the valve mechanism to separate from its housing. It was further determined that the subject retaining screw had not been re-safetied after the builder removed the manufacturer-installed safety wire in order to change the angular configuration of the purge valve/flow divider assembly. A review of the Airflow Performance Installation and Service Manual revealed a narrative section stating that if removal of the valve is necessary, to make sure that the purge valve stop/faceplate screw is re-safetied.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 367 hours in all; 95 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 102 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAT Wenatchee WA at 6:27 pm
- Destination: S10 Chelan WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.
Other NTSB records under N272JT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 SEA03LA154.