# Accident 20260228007229A: Rubin Alan RV-8, Hurricane, UT, February 28, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 28, 2026, 10:05 local time
- Place: Hurricane, UT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.0019° N, 113.2766° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0019&lon=-113.2766&mi=10
- Aircraft: N80AR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N80AR) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rubin Alan RV-8 (registry code 05634PG, https://openairdocs.org/model/rubin-alan-rv-8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Aerosport IO-375M1S (registry code 01325, https://openairdocs.org/engine/aerosport-io-375m1s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RUBIN ALAN RV-8
- Reported engine: AEROSPORT IO-375M1S
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 50 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26FA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA108) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260228007229A

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 28, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1005 MST, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR THE UTAH/ARIZONA BORDER AND SOUTH OF HURRICANE, UTAH RESULTING IN A FATALITY OF THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT ON BOARD.

THE PILOT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED ST. GEORGE (KSGU) AIRPORT AS PART OF A FORMATION FLIGHT, #2 OF 5 AIRCRAFT IN A FORMATION LINE. THE GROUP DEPARTED KSGU AND CONTINUED EAST OF THE AIRFIELD FOR MANEUVERING. A FEW MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE DURING FLIGHT FORMATION TWO WITNESSES, WHO WERE PILOTS FLYING IN THE FORMATION BEHIND THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, BOTH STATED THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PITCHED UPWARD AND ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THEY STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO ROLL INVERTED AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO RECOVER WINGS LEVEL JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TERRAIN/GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AGL AND 130 MPH SPEED WHEN IT ENTERED THE MANEUVER.

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN VMC WITH LITTLE TO NO REPORTED WINDS. IT WAS VERIFIED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND THERE WERE NO KNOWN OR REPORTED MECHANICAL ISSUES AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT.

THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS UNKNOWN.

## 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 WPR26FA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA108), Feb 28, 2026: Vans RV-8 (N80AR), Hurricane, UT, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing

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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