# Accident 20130611011539A: William G Earl VANS RV12, Chadron, NE, June 11, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 11, 2013, 06:40 local time
- Place: Chadron, NE
- Airport: Chadron Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.8358° N, 103.0906° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8358&lon=-103.0906&mi=10
- Aircraft: N666BE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N666BE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: William G Earl VAN RV12 (registry code 05632RI, https://openairdocs.org/model/william-g-earl-van-rv12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Viking 110 (registry code 63700, https://openairdocs.org/engine/viking-110) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WILLIAM G EARL VANS RV12
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 5,668 total, 43 in this make and model, 52 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN13LA340](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA340) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130611011539A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JUNE 11, 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 0640 MDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT, VANS AIRCRAFT RV-12, SERIAL NUMBER 120226, N666BE, WAS OPERATING AT THE CHADRON, NE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. N666BE TAXIED ONTO RUNWAY 02 AND BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND ROTATED. DURING ASCENT TO APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL, THE CANOPY BECAME UNLATCHED AND AJAR. THE PILOT LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT AND STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED AS A RESULT. THE CANOPY THEN ROSE UP TO A HIGH ANGLE.  THE AIRCRAFT RESPONDED WITH AN UNCOMMANDED DESCENT AT A RAPID RATE. THE PILOT COULD NOT CONTROL THE DESCENT AND IMPACTED THE RUNWAY, LEFT SIDE OF CENTERLINE. THE AIRCRAFT WENT AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 228 FEET AND IMPACTED THE RUNWAY A SECOND TIME. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SKID ALONG THE RUNWAY, VEERING OFF LEFT, STRIKING A RUNWAY MARKER LIGHT WITH THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE. THE CONTACT WITH THE LIGHT SPUN THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 270 DEGREES COUNTERCLOCKWISE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE NORTH SIDE OF RUNWAY 02 APPROXIMATELY 565 FEET NORTH OF THE INITIAL IMPACT LOCATION. NO FIRES OCCURRED. THE PILOT SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN13LA340](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA340), Jun 11, 2013: Vans RV12 (N666BE), Chadron, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly secure the latch to the tip-up canopy before flight, which resulted in the canopy opening on takeoff and a subsequent loss of airplane control while attempting to land…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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