Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Yuba City, California, July 16, 2026
On July 16, 2026 at about 2:01 pm local time, a 1994 amateur-built RV-4, registered N98GB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yuba City, California (Sutter County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2026 · about 2:01 pm local time
- Place
- Yuba City, California · Sutter County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4, built 1994
- Registration
- N98GB · registry record · serial 1470
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 16, 2026, at 0701 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur built Vans RV-4, N98GB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Yuba City, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of recorded video from the Sutter County Airport, Yuba City, California, and a neighboring business, captured the airplane at various portions of the accident flight. One video showed the airplane departing runway 17 and then initiating a turn back to the airport. The airplane overshot runway 35 and traveled out of the frame of the camera. As the airplane traveled into view of a neighboring business’s video, it appeared the airplane was on the ground traveling in a northerly direction before it rotated along its vertical axis to the left about 270° and came to rest upright in an open field. The airplane’s first identified point of contact (FIPC) was the airport’s northern perimeter chain link fence. The debris field was about 230 ft in length, oriented on a 348° heading and consisted of portions of wooden propeller blades and the rudder. The airplane came to rest upright on a 056° heading and remained mostly intact. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit to all the flight control surfaces. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
- Landing area overshoot during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 687.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 31, 2026
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 am from KOVE, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KOVE 161353Z AUTO 16007KT 10SM CLR 21/08 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP108 T02110083
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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 WPR26FA262.