What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 31, 2017, at approximately 11:30 a.m. eastern daylight time, a Vans Aircraft Inc. RV-12 experimental airplane, N212ZF, impacted terrain following takeoff from runway 15 at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport (ump), near Fishers, Indiana. The private pilot was the sole occupant, and was fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed during the impact and by a post impact ground fire. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed.
Two witnesses standing near the tom wood executive hangar at ump observed N212ZF taxi by for takeoff on runway 15. The pilot used the full length of runway 15 and the takeoff appeared normal. One witness observed the aircraft takeoff and climb to approximately 300 feet, before turning away to continue his conversation with the other witness. Neither witness saw the aircraft crash off the end of runway 15.
The aircraft impacted the ground about 225 feet southeast of the departure end of runway 15. The aircraft came to rest upright on a heading of about 100 degrees about 104 feet from the point of impact. Fire consumed the aircraft?s center fueselage section including the cockpit/cabin area from the firewall to the wing?s trailing edge.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 31, 2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 A.M. EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A VANS AIRCRAFT INC. RV-12 EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE, N212ZF, IMPACTED TERRAIN FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 15 AT THE INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN AIRPORT (UMP), NEAR FISHERS, INDIANA. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, AND WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED DURING THE IMPACT AND BY A POST IMPACT GROUND FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
TWO WITNESSES STANDING NEAR THE TOM WOOD EXECUTIVE HANGAR AT UMP OBSERVED N212ZF TAXI BY FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 15. THE PILOT USED THE FULL LENGTH OF RUNWAY 15 AND THE TAKEOFF APPEARED NORMAL. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET, BEFORE TURNING AWAY TO CONTINUE HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE OTHER WITNESS. NEITHER WITNESS SAW THE AIRCRAFT CRASH OFF THE END OF RUNWAY 15.
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 225 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 15. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 100 DEGREES ABOUT 104 FEET FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT. FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT?S CENTER FUESELAGE SECTION INCLUDING THE COCKPIT/CABIN AREA FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE WING?S TRAILING EDGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.