Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Van Horn, Texas 79855
Friday, August 16, 1996 10:00 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, 'about an hour into the flight I noticed oil running down the inside of the firewall. The oil pressure gauge showed low oil pressure to the engine.' The pilot further stated that he reduced power and began a gradual descent toward the nearest airport. Approximately 12 miles from Van Horn, Texas, the 'engine failed completely.' The pilot performed a forced landing to an area of brush and sand dunes, and the airplane came to rest in an inverted position. Postcrash examination of the engine's oil cooler revealed a crack in the first drawn cup tube.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
loss of engine power due to a cracked oil cooler, which led to the loss of all lubricating oil and an engine seizure. The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/16/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1000 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | VAN HORN |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 79855 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 0 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 6003 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 16 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1701 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 10:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | XBINF |
| NTSB Number | FTW96LA348 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Vans Aircraft |
| Aircraft Model | RV-4 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | RV-4 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3544 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1500 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 16 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ALEJANDRO JUNCO DE LA VEGA |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | WASHINGTON 629 OTE |
| Aircraft Owner City | MONTEREY |
| Aircraft Owner State | NL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 64000 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | CUSTOM AIRCRAFT |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 11700 W. ARRA VALLEY RD |
| Operator City | MARANA |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 85653 |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | DMN |
| Departure City | DEMING |
| Departure State | NM |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 830 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | UVA |
| Destination City | UVALDE |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 10 2002 4:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |