Rans S-12 N427LB

Summary

On 3 May 2020 at about 17:10 local time, a Rans S-12 registered N427LB was involved in an accident near Delta, Colorado, 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

3 May 2020 at 17:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Delta, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Blake Field Airport (AJZ)

Coordinates

38.7856, -108.0619

Aircraft

Rans S-12

Registration

N427LB

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Delta → Delta

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA169

1 person died.

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a test flight which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the test flight was attempting to correct airplane stability issues before the flight. A witness assumed that the pilot was planning to perform a high-speed taxi test rather than flight, and that the airplane’s takeoff was unintentional. After takeoff, the airplane was seen in the airport traffic pattern at 300-400 ft above ground level. Witnesses then observed the airplane change pitch and bank while the engine was heard increasing to full power and then decreasing. The airplane stalled, impacted terrain, and was destroyed by impact forces. Post-accident examination of the airplane confirmed flight control and engine continuity. There were four ballast bags (about 25 lbs each) and two dumbbell weights (marked 35 lbs). All the ballast bags and one dumbbell weight were in the passenger seat area. High-speed taxi testing is not a test area of aircraft stability and control. Given the pilot’s previous statement of his intentions and the presence of ballast/weights in the passenger seat area, it is likely that he was experimenting with airplane stability and control when the airplane exceeded its critical angle of attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.