History of Flight
On August 31, 2017, about 1130 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Van's Aircraft RV-12, registration N212ZF, impacted terrain after takeoff from runway 15 at Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport near Fishers, Indiana. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact and post-impact ground fire. The flight was a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91, operated without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
A flight instructor providing dual instruction in a helicopter described the events. He was preparing for an autorotation to runway 15. About 4 miles from the airport, his student announced a straight-in landing on runway 15 over the common traffic advisory frequency. As the helicopter descended on short final, an airplane crossed the runway 15 hold short line while announcing departure. The instructor immediately announced the helicopter was on short final, but the airplane pilot did not respond and continued onto the runway. The instructor executed a right 360° to avoid collision and made a radio call about the incident. After completing the turn, he noticed a fire in the grass off the departure end of the runway. He realized the fire likely involved the departing airplane, initiated a go-around, and asked the unicom to call 911. He later landed and called 911 again. He never established two-way communication with the airplane pilot and did not see the takeoff or impact.
Another witness told airport police that the airplane, during climb, descended "straight down," impacted grassy terrain southeast of the runway, and burst into flames.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 78, held a FAA private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was dated June 28, 2012. At that time, he reported 1,200 total flight hours and 23 hours in the preceding 6 months. The medical certificate required corrective lenses.
Aircraft Information
N212ZF was an experimental light-sport kit-built Van's Aircraft RV-12 (serial number 120136). It was a single-engine, low-wing monoplane with side-by-side seating, fixed tricycle landing gear, and aluminum construction. Powered by a 100-hp Rotax 912 ULS engine (serial 6775819) driving a two-bladed Sensenich composite propeller. Logbooks showed a condition inspection on November 20, 2016, at 153.4 total hours. Service bulletins to improve fuel system breach resistance (SB 11-12-14 and SB 13-12-19) were complied with in 2013.
The airplane had a forward-hinged tip-up canopy with a locking mechanism: a handle at the rear of the canopy frame that turned 90° to engage a tang under a UHMW latch block. The pilot operating handbook's before-takeoff checklist included "Canopy – CHECK Latched." A canopy open warning system was available for SkyView or Garmin displays but not for Dynon FlightDEK-D180, with which the accident airplane was equipped.
Meteorological Information
At 1129, weather at Indianapolis Regional Airport (MQJ) included wind 070° at 5 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 21°C, dew point 17°C, altimeter 30.11 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination found a page from the airplane's checklist, a foam section, and a pair of glasses near the departure threshold. No liberated parts were on the runway. A linear impact mark about 225 ft southeast of runway 15's departure end had a depression consistent with wings, cowling, and nose gear, indicating an impact heading of 140°. The airplane came to rest upright on a heading of about 100°, about 104 ft beyond the initial impact. Grass was chafed along a path heading about 150°. The nose landing gear was separated and found near the depression. Liberated parts included a headset side, composite propeller blade, and cowling section. The fuselage near the cabin and inboard wing sections showed fire damage consistent with a post-impact ground fire.
Rudder and elevator control cables were continuous to the cabin; aileron continuity could not be traced due to fire damage. Throttle, choke, and cabin heat were forward. Engine controls were continuous. The trim motor was operational. The canopy latching mechanisms on the roll bar showed soot discoloration; the UHMW latch block was missing, but the handle was intact and not discolored.
Additional Information
Video from parking lot cameras showed no smoke or fire in flight; smoke appeared after impact. The NTSB database query revealed three investigations (CEN14FA306, CEN13LA340, CEN11LA601) involving canopy openings during flight. Van's Aircraft issued Service Letter 16-11-04 in 2016 about tip-up canopy operation, noting that in-flight openings can cause abrupt nose-down pitch and that most occur due to forgetting to latch the canopy.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy listed cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries, manner accident. Toxicology detected irbesartan (antihypertensive) and rosuvastatin (statin) in blood and liver.
Tests and Research
Engine examination: carburetors liberated; fuel pump pumped gasoline-like liquid; sparkplugs gapped correctly and showed normal combustion except No. 3 top sparkplug had ash-like media. Carburetor floats had thermal damage but needle valves operational; inlets and main jets unobstructed. No preimpact anomalies in exhaust. Ignition modules ran normally on exemplar engine. The Dynon FlightDEK D180 data log was enabled and recorded every second; the accident flight was about 9 minutes but data ended prematurely, possibly due to buffering. Data showed nearly full power at 1125:30, climb began around 1125:40. Just before data loss at 1125:54, pitch down greater than -10° and left roll; manifold pressure and RPM trending downward. No alerts or warnings were triggered.