Amateur-built RV8A accident near Brigham City, Utah, October 10, 2007
On October 10, 2007 at about 9:15 pm local time, a amateur-built RV8A, registered N202HW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brigham City, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations. Factors include an inaccurate fuel quantity measuring system, and soft terrain encountered during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2007 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Brigham City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV8A
- Registration
- N202HW · registry record · serial 81737
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the pilot was about fifty miles from the destination airport, with the fuel gauge indicating about 20 gallons of fuel remaining, the experimental airplane's engine lost all power. The pilot ultimately made a power-off forced landing in open terrain, and the airplane nosed over when its nose gear dug into the soft terrain. The investigation determined that there was no evidence of any fuel in the airplane's fuel system, and no evidence of fuel spillage or leakage at the scene. There also was no evidence of stains on the airplane consistent with in-flight fuel system leakage. A post-accident inspection of the airplane and its fuel system found no anomalies or evidence of leakage. The pilot, who had planned his flight using the "recommended power settings for cruise flight" of eight to nine gallons per hour, did not take into account the fuel burn for his initial climb of over 11,000 feet. In addition to that climb, the pilot had to climb back to 11,500 feet mean sea level (msl) after twice descending to lower altitudes in order to maintain visual meteorological conditions (once to 9,500 feet msl, and once to 7,500 feet msl). In the section of the NTSB form 6120.1/2 where the operator/owner was provided the opportunity to indicate how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated, "Installation of Fuel Burn Rate instrumentation."
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 192 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Superior O-360-B1A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2S6 Newberg OR at 6:00 pm
- Destination: KOGD Ogden UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.