Amateur-built RV-10 accident near Sun Lakes, Arizona, November 12, 2017
On November 12, 2017 at about 5:25 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built RV-10, registered N917VA, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Sun Lakes, Arizona. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fatigue fractures of the upper and lower alternator attachment bolts, which decreased the common drive belt tension and resulted in the subsequent in-flight separation of an alternator drive belt, the overheating of the engine, and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 2017 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Sun Lakes, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-10, built 2014
- Registration
- N917VA · registry record · serial 40076
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, during the en route climb, he smelled antifreeze and realized that the engine was overheating. He then reduced power to idle and turned the airplane back toward the departure airport. As the airplane descended, the pilot added power, but the engine did not respond. He decided to land at a nearby closed airport; however, when he realized that the airplane would be unable to reach it, he performed a forced landing to a desert. During the landing roll, the airplane struck several bushes, which resulted in the nosewheel and left main landing gear collapsing and the left wing and fuselage sustaining substantial damage. The airplane was powered by a modified automobile engine, which was equipped with two alternators and a water pump to circulate the engine coolant. The common drive belt that connected the two alternators and water pump was found detached. In addition, the upper and lower attachment bolts that secured one of the alternators were fractured, and the alternator was partially displaced. Examination of the fracture surfaces of both bolts revealed that they exhibited rachet marks, consistent with fatigue fractures. It is likely that, once the alternator attachment bolts fractured, the common drive belt tension decreased, which resulted in the separation of the belt. The belt separation would have precluded the water pump from operating and led to the engine overheating and eventually losing total power.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng liquid cooling › Inoperative
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › Alternator › generator drive sys › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 840 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 815 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 51 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,199 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Chevrolet LS1 (piston); 51 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 5:15 pm
- Destination: CHD Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from KCHD, 6 miles away
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.
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 WPR18LA030.