No fatalities

14 Apr 2019: Vans VANS RV-12 No Series — Wall, SD

Wall, SD, United States

On 14 Apr 2019, a Vans VANS RV-12 No Series was involved in an aviation accident near Wall, SD. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper decision to depart from a slush-covered runway, which resulted in a loss of directional control, a runway excursion, and a subsequent nose-over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 10 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff on a snow and slush covered runway, the airplane veered left after the left main gear encountered slush during rotation, exiting the runway and collapsing the nose landing gear.

Event Details

The pilot reported that during takeoff on a runway covered with snow and slush, he decided to stay on the right half of the runway. As the airplane began to rotate and the nose landing gear lifted off the runway, the left main landing gear encountered slush. The airplane then veered to the left by approximately 15°, exited the runway to the left, and the nose landing gear collapsed.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDecision related to condition

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation