20160419003029A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Vans RV-12 · Stevensville, MD · April 19, 2016

Date: April 19, 2016 · 12:44 local
Place: Stevensville, MD
Airport: Bay Bridge Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N276VA
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA16FA165
Reported as: Vans RV-12
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor

N276VARegistration cancelled Feb 28, 2019 · Vans RV-12S/N 12056 · Built 2015 Airframe modelVans RV-12 Engine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

At approximately 1244 on April 19, 2016 the aircraft was on final approach to W29 with one pilot and one passenger on board. According to air traffic information. The aircraft turned left base to final at approximately 150 ft. witnesses reported seeing the aircraft at a low altitude. Several of the witnesses reported seeing the aircraft pitch up then the left wing raise up. None of the witnesses were able to see the aircraft impact. After impact the aircraft caught fire and was destroyed. Both pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Upon investigation with the NTSB control surface continuity was confirmed. The engine appeared to be making power at the time of impact due to the witness marks in the ground. An inspection of the engine was also performed which confirmed compression on all cylinders and the ability for the crankshaft to rotate freely.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 1244 ON APRIL 19, 2016 THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO W29 WITH ONE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD. ACCORDING TO AIR TRAFFIC INFORMATION. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED LEFT BASE TO FINAL AT APPROXIMATELY 150 FT. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT AT A LOW ALTITUDE. SEVERAL OF THE WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT PITCH UP THEN THE LEFT WING RAISE UP. NONE OF THE WITNESSES WERE ABLE TO SEE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT. AFTER IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS DESTROYED. BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. UPON INVESTIGATION WITH THE NTSB CONTROL SURFACE CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE MAKING POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT DUE TO THE WITNESS MARKS IN THE GROUND. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE WAS ALSO PERFORMED WHICH CONFIRMED COMPRESSION ON ALL CYLINDERS AND THE ABILITY FOR THE CRANKSHAFT TO ROTATE FREELY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA16FA165Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportStevensville, MDThe pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during approach for landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.Apr 19, 2016 · Substantial damage