# Accident 20260815011239A: Aero Rampart STEEN SKYBOLT, Roseburg, OR, August 15, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 15, 2026, 15:30 local time
- Place: Roseburg, OR
- Airport: Roseburg Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.2303° N, 123.3559° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.2303&lon=-123.3559&mi=10
- Aircraft: N32DA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N32DA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aero Rampart STEEN SKYBOLT (registry code 05655A3, https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-rampart-steen-skybolt) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERO RAMPART STEEN SKYBOLT
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 841 total, 146 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26LA306](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA306) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260815011239A

## Narrative

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

ON 08/15/2026, THE PILOT DEPARTED AT ~1500L ON A PROFICIENCY FLIGHT. FIELD WEATHER WAS VFR. WINDS WERE 020/12 FAVORING RUNWAY 34 WITH A ~7 KNOT CROSSWIND COMPONENT. PILOT DEPARTED TO THE PRACTICE AREA AND RETURNED TO THE FIELD ~15-20 MINUTES LATER. UPON LANDING, PILOT REPORTED A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN FOLLOWED BY A "LURCH TO THE RIGHT" AND A GROUND LOOP THAT TOOK THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASSY AREA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT LOWER WING FRONT SPAR, LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR, CENTER FUSELAGE, LOWER COWLING, AND PROPELLER. NO DAMAGE TO AIRPORT OR OTHER PROPERTY WAS SUSTAINED AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.

PILOT BELIEVES HE MADE INADEQUATE CONTROL INPUTS TO COUNTER THE CROSSWIND. HE REPORTS THAT IT'S RARE TO HAVE ANY CROSSWIND, BUT ESPECIALLY FROM THE RIGHT, AT THIS AIRPORT AND THAT HE'D BECOME COMPLACENT. THE PILOT ALSO THINKS THE "SMALL CROSS SECTION AIRFOIL SHAPED TUBE TO DIAGONALLY BRACE THE GEAR" WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO "RESIST BUCKLING UNDER A SIDE LOAD" AND THAT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN THE GEAR COLLAPSING DURING THE GROUND LOOP.

WHILE THE PILOT TOOK FULL RESPONSIBLITY FOR THE ACCIDENT, HE DID WANT TO NOTE THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING INSTRUCTION IN HIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. HE HAS TRAVELED OUT OF STATE TO FIND QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS AND TAKEN FLIGHTS WITH OTHER PILOTS (NOT INSTRUCTORS) IN SIMILARLY CONFIGURED AIRCRAFT TO GET PROFICIENCY. HE'S EAGER TO IMPROVE HIS SKILLS AND BE COMPLETELY PROFICIENT BUT NOTES THAT IT IS DIFFICULT WITH THE CURRENT RULES ON INSTRUCTING IN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT.

## 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 WPR26LA306](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA306), Aug 15, 2026: Aero Rampart Steen Skybolt (N32DA), Roseburg, OR, substantial damage, 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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