Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rialto, California 92376
Saturday, September 26, 1992 10:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE CRUISING AT 6500 FEET MSL. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE UNEVEN AND ROUGH TERRAIN OF AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING TOUCHDOWN. THE CRASH SITE ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 1455 FEET MSL. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE POWER LOSS HAD RESULTED FROM HIS IMPROPER FUEL MANAGEMENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD '...[RUN] THE ENGINE OUT OF FUEL' AND HAD FAILED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS TO A TANK CONTAINING FUEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER MANAGEMENT OF THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND HIS FAILURE TO PERFORM THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE OF REPOSITIONING THE FUEL SELECTOR TO A TANK CONTAINING FUEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1055
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RIALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92376
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2856
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47700
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N321RG
NTSB Number LAX92LA403
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 GOLIGHTLY, ROBERT B.
Aircraft Model RV4
Aircraft Series Identifier RV4
Aircraft Serial Number 1044
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. 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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 16
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT B. GOLIGHTLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1166 N. FAIRVALLEY AVE.
Aircraft Owner City COVINA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91722
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT B. GOLIGHTLY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1166 N. FAIRVALLEY AVE.
Operator City COVINA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91722
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 POC
Departure City LA VERNE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1040
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --