# NTSB CEN14LA045: Sutphin Rans S-12, N8028W, French Lick, IN, October 11, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 11, 2013, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: French Lick, IN
- Coordinates: 38.506111, -86.636947 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5061&lon=-86.6369&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 3, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Indianapolis FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88395
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA045
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88395/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88395
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA045

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while in a steep turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/mush at a low altitude.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Sutphin John E RANS S-12, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05626VP), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Sutphin John E RANS S-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=05626VP), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Sutphin John E RANS S-12, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05626VP), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Sutphin John E RANS S-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05626VP), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Sutphin John E RANS S-12, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05626VP), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Sutphin John E RANS S-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05626VP), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

After a short local flight, which consisted of several uneventful turns, the pilot decided to return to the airport for a landing. He reported that the airplane started to lose altitude as he made a right turn to enter the downwind leg of the landing pattern. The pilot responded by advancing the throttle to maximum engine power; however, he was unable to increase airspeed or arrest the descent before the airplane collided with a tree. The passenger reported that the airplane appeared to lose altitude as the pilot performed a steep right turn over a wooded area southwest of the airport. A postaccident airframe examination and engine test run revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Wind at the nearest aviation weather reporting station about the time of the accident were calm. The pilot's inability to arrest the airplane's descent or increase its airspeed during a steep turn in the airport traffic pattern, despite his application of full engine power, is consistent with the airplane having encountered an aerodynamic stall.

## Factual narrative

On October 11, 2013, at 1700 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Sutphin model Rans S-12 airplane, N8028W, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees while maneuvering near the French Lick Municipal Airport (FRH), French Lick, Indiana. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight that had departed FRH about 1640. The pilot reported that the accident occurred during a demonstration flight for a potential buyer of the airplane. After a short local area flight, which consisted of several uneventful turns, the pilot decided to return to the airport for a landing. He reported that the airplane started to lose altitude while in a right turn to enter the downwind leg for runway 8. The pilot responded by advancing the engine to maximum power; however, he was unable to arrest the descent or increase airspeed before the airplane collided with a tree. The right wing was substantially damaged during the impact. The pilot reported no preaccident malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have prevented normal operation. The passenger reported that the airplane appeared to lose altitude as the pilot performed a steep right turn over a wooded area southwest of the airport. The passenger reported that the pilot increased engine power after he leveled out of the steep turn; however, the airplane continued to descend into the trees. The airplane came to rest suspended in a tree about 60 feet above the ground. The passenger stated that the engine continued to run at an idle power setting following the accident until the pilot turned off the magneto switches. A postaccident examination was completed by inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after the wreckage had been recovered from the accident site. The FAA examination confirmed flight control continuity from the individual flight control surfaces to their respective cockpit controls. The fuel tank contained about 3 gallons of fuel and there was fuel in the supply line to the carburetors. An operational engine test run established that there were no mechanical or electrical anomalies with the engine. The FAA examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The nearest aviation weather reporting station was located at Huntingburg Airport (HNB), Huntingburg, Indiana, about 21 miles southwest of the accident site. At 1655, the HNB automated surface observing system reported: calm wind conditions, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 24 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of Mercury.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8028W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8028W-2023-09-23), registration cancelled 2023-09-23, S/N 0894513, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SUTPHIN RANS S-12
- Registry model: [Sutphin John E RANS S-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/sutphin-john-e-rans-s-12) (registry code 05626VP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 0894513
- Year built: 1995
- Engines: Rotax 582 64 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, April 22, 2013
- Departed: FRH, French Lick, IN
- Destination: FRH, French Lick, IN
- Airport: FRH, French Lick Municipal Airport, runway 08, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 5,000 total, 10 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Turbulence: Unknown
- Observed at: HNB, 21 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20131011020019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131011020019A), Oct 11, 2013: Sutphin John E RANS S-12, French Lick, IN, Substantial damage. On October 11, 2013 at approximately 1630 hours EST, a 1995 "Sutphin John E" rans S-12 experimental amateur built aircraft, N8028W, sustained substantial…

## Other investigations on N8028W (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 ERA22LA394](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA394), Aug 31, 2022: Sutphin John E Rans S-12 (N8028W), Hilliard, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88395. 1.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 659 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403746&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403747&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Passenger Statement (item 3, .PDF, 86 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403748&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Passenger%20Statement-Master.PDF
- FAA Inspector Statement (Leslie Thompson) (item 4, .PDF, 177 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403749&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20(Leslie%20Thompson)-Master.PDF
- Weather Reports (item 5, .PDF, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403750&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports-Master.PDF

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.

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