Van's RV12 N276VA

Summary

On 19 April 2016 at about 16:44 local time, a Van's RV12 registered N276VA, operated by Yoxford Air LLC, was involved in an accident near Stevensville, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 April 2016 at 16:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Stevensville, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Bay Bridge (W29)

Coordinates

38.9750, -76.3222

Aircraft

Van's RV12

Registration

N276VA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2015

Engines

1

Operator

Yoxford Air LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Easton → Stevensville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA16FA165

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during approach for landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot of the light sport airplane was approaching the airport for landing in gusty front quartering crosswind conditions. Witnesses observed the airplane on final approach between 50 and 75 ft above ground level. The airplane's nose pitched up, followed by a roll to the right. The airplane then entered a nose-down attitude and descended to ground contact, impacting level terrain about 750 ft from the runway and slightly left of the extended runway centerline. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Before the accident flight, the pilot had about 2.4 hours of experience in the accident airplane make and model but had been signed off to fly the airplane by an instructor. Witness observations of the final moments of flight are consistent with an aerodynamic stall. It is likely that the pilot failed to compensate for the gusty crosswind and turbulent conditions during the approach for landing, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, aerodynamic stall, and subsequent loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.