Amateur-built RV4 accident near San Manuel, Arizona, July 31, 2013
On July 31, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2000 amateur-built RV4, registered N70AC, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near San Manuel, Arizona (San Manuel airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during takeoff with a tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Manuel, Arizona · San Manuel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV4, built 2000
- Registration
- N70AC · registry record · serial JS01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff with a tailwind and just before reaching rotation speed, the tailwheel-equipped airplane suddenly veered left and exited the runway surface. Despite the pilot's corrective inputs, the left wing impacted terrain, and the airplane nosed over in a ravine adjacent to the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 27, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 300 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E77 San Manuel AZ at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 8T6 George West TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,207 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from E77
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 N70AC 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 WPR13LA351.