The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB SEA94LA184 · Final report

Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Twisp, Washington, July 17, 1994

On July 17, 1994 at about 6:20 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N144US, was substantially damaged in an accident near Twisp, Washington (Twisp Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

PROPER DESCENT RATE WAS NOT MAINTAINED DURING APPROACH.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
July 17, 1994 · about 6:20 pm local time · cases in 1994
Place
Twisp, Washington · Twisp Municipal · cases near this airport · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Amateur-built RV-4
Registration
N144US · no longer on the register · serial 742
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

THE PILOT OF THE AMATEUR-BUILT EXPERIMENTAL BLACK RV-4 SAID THAT 'THE BOTTOM DROPPED OUT' WHEN HE WAS ON APPROACH FOR LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AFTER A HARD LANDING, WITH ITS THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROL JAMMED. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE HARD LANDING, TO ANOTHER AIRPORT AND SUCCESSFULLY LAND.

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: 1,020 hours in all; 525 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 934 as pilot in command
  • Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: frt

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 732 hours
  • Last inspection: annual inspection, October 27, 1993; 12 hours since
  • Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
  • Seats: 2
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total

The flight

  • Departed from: S52 Winthrop WA at 6:10 pm
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 28, 2,700 ft by 40 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 360° at 5 knots, gusting 10
  • Visibility: 20 statute miles
  • Sky: clear
  • Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
  • Observation at 6:20 pm

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1

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

Aircraft
Place
Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA94LA184.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.