# Accident 20250826019429A: Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12IS, Hartford, WI, August 26, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 26, 2025, 07:45 local time
- Place: Hartford, WI
- Airport: Hartford Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.3500° N, 88.3902° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3500&lon=-88.3902&mi=10
- Aircraft: N18HS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18HS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Vans RV-12IS (registry code 069002L, https://openairdocs.org/model/vans-rv-12is) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912IS2 (registry code 55590, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912is2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VANS AIRCRAFT INC RV-12IS
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912IS2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 14 total, 14 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA345) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250826019429A

## Narrative

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

ON TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 25, 2025, AT 6:00 AM,  THE PILOT ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AT 7:00 AM AND COMPLETED A PRE-FLIGHT WALKAROUND OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER COMPLETING THE PRE-TAXI CHECKLISTS, THE PILOT TAXIED TOWARDS RUNWAY 27, MAKING RADIO CALLS BEFORE CROSSING RUNWAYS 27-09 AND 18-36. AT THE END OF THE TAXIWAY, HE COMPLETED THE RUN-UP AND PRE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST, THEN RADIOED HIS DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 27. DURING THE APPROXIMATELY 45-MINUTE FLIGHT, THE PILOT RADIOED HIS APPROACH 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT, TURNED INBOUND FOR RUNWAY 27, AND ENTERED THE LEFT DOWNWIND. OBSERVING TWO TRUCKS ON THE RUNWAY, HE TURNED BASE AND THEN FINAL. THE PILOT DECIDED TO GO AROUND SINCE HE NOTICED TRUCK ON AND NEAR THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT RE-ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 27, BUT WITH THE TRUCKS STILL PRESENT,  SWITCHED TO RUNWAY 18 FOR LANDING. THE PILOT LANDED LONG ON RUNWAY 18 AND CROSSED THE ELEVATED PAVEMENT THAT RUNS PERPENDICULAR TO THE GRASS RUNWAY, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME AIRBORNE AGAIN. THE PILOT OPTED TO PUSH FOR THE LANDING INSTEAD OF GOING AROUND, LEADING TO A PILOT-INDUCED OSCILLATION. ON THE FINAL OSCILLATION, THE NOSE WHEEL GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED TO A STOP. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT. THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE COWLINGS SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN ALL SYSTEMS AND EXITED THE PLANE.  THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.

## 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 CEN25LA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA345), Aug 26, 2025: Vans RV-12IS (N18HS), Hartford, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while landing on a turf runway.

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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