Van's RV8 N6948L

Summary

On 16 December 2023 at about 19:50 local time, a Van's RV8 registered N6948L was involved in an accident near Corona, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 December 2023 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Corona, California, United States

Nearest airport

Corona Muni (AJO)

Coordinates

33.8973, -117.5852

Aircraft

Van's RV8

Registration

N6948L

Category

Airplane

Year built

2023

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Oxnard

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR24FA056

1 person died.

Fuel contamination from the pilot’s improper application of a sealant to the fuel tank, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power on takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after takeoff, the airplane climbed to about 95 ft above ground level and then made a shallow descent and turned left. The airplane collided with a road and hit a berm before becoming engulfed in flames. Witnesses reported that the engine sounded like it was producing partial power. The pilot had flown the airplane to the departure airport about a month before the accident to have it painted at a shop there. The accident flight was the first flight after it was painted. The left fuel tank was likely empty because the pilot had drained and repaired it before flying to the airport, and no evidence was found of the airplane being refueled at the airport. Based on his receipts, the pilot had used an alcohol-resistant gas tank sealer to repair the fuel tank. Postaccident examination of the fuel system revealed a hardened white material throughout the fuel system, including in the fuel filters and the mechanical fuel pump. The material was analyzed by the NTSB Materials Laboratory to determine its chemical composition. The tested samples were consistent with materials in the alcohol-resistant gas tank sealer. Based on the presence of hardened white material throughout the fuel system, the pilot likely applied the gas tank sealer improperly. The sealer manufacturer stated that if the tank is not dry before applying the sealer or has foreign matter, it may prohibit the sealer from adhering and then lead to it coming loose, eventually entering the fuel system and blocking the fuel pump. In addition, if the airplane was refueled after the sealer was applied but not fully dried, any liquid sealer remaining in the tank likely would have coated the fuel system components as found after the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.