Van's RV 8 N800PB

Summary

On 21 September 2020 at about 18:37 local time, a Van's RV 8 registered N800PB was involved in an accident near Hilliard, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 September 2020 at 18:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Hilliard, Florida, United States

Coordinates

30.7528, -81.9792

Aircraft

Van's RV 8

Registration

N800PB

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cedartown → Flagler

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20LA324

1 person died.

A total loss of engine power due to oil starvation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was on a cross-county flight back to his home airport. About an hour into the flight, a witness standing in her front yard, heard the airplane flying overhead and heard the engine “popping” like it was back firing. She looked up at the airplane and saw that it was “very low,” at an estimated altitude of 500 ft above ground level. The airplane disappeared behind trees and she heard the airplane hitting tree branches shortly afterward. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage and instrument panel was consumed by fire. Smoke striations from the cowling into the cockpit were consistent with an in-flight fire that originated in the engine compartment. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the flight controls to the flight control surfaces. A large hole was observed at the No. 2 cylinder case half and all of the connecting rod bearings were worn and oil starved. The No. 2 connecting rod was the most worn and the rod and cap exhibited lubrication distress. The condition of the No. 2 connecting rod bearing indicated that it was closest to the initiation point of oil starvation. However, a reason for the oil starvation could not be determined. It is likely that the inflight fire was the result of the engine failure. Autopsy of the pilot indicated that he had cardiomegaly and moderate atherosclerotic disease. While these conditions increase the risk for having a sudden cardiac event, there was no evidence of any acute processes on autopsy and the pilot was able to extricate himself from the plane. Thus, it is unlikely that the pilot’s cardiovascular condition was a factor in this accident. Carboxyhemoglobin was detected in the pilot’s blood at 15-16% and soot material was found in his airways. Toxicology testing detected cyanide, which can be produced by combustion, in his blood. Inhalation of both elements would have occurred from the in-flight fire. That the pilot extricated himself from the airplane suggests that the carbon monoxide itself was not impairing. Thus, carbon monoxide exposure, as determined by the carboxyhemoglobin level, was not a contributing factor in the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.