What happened
On 16 May 2025, a pilot attempted the maiden flight of a Van’s Aircraft, Inc. RV-14A amateur-built aircraft at Calgary/Springbank Airport (CYBW), Alberta. The first takeoff attempt began at 0714 Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) on runway 17, but the pilot aborted the roll because the aircraft's performance was lower than expected.
Following the first abort, the pilot taxied back to the runway threshold for a second attempt at 0724 MDT. During this second attempt, the aircraft reached an altitude of roughly 10 to 20 feet before the pilot again decided to abort the takeoff. As the aircraft descended, the nose landing gear struck the runway first, causing the plane to bounce into the air. This triggered a pilot-induced oscillation, causing the aircraft to drift left of the paved runway surface and impact a grassy area.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of events following the impact. The aircraft sustained heavy damage, including a broken right main landing gear, a collapsed nose landing gear, and a folded left main landing gear. The propeller also struck the ground, resulting in the loss of all three propeller blades, while the forward fuselage suffered significant structural damage. The pilot, who was able to exit the cockpit on his own, suffered serious injuries.