# NTSB CEN22LA061: Experimental Nieuport-12, N12GX, Midland, TX, December 1, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 1, 2021, 14:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Midland, TX · Cotton Field - Coordinates: 32.06459, -102.02499 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0646&lon=-102.0250&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 104361 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104361/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104361 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA061 ## Probable cause The pilot’s loss of directional control during a high-speed taxi operation and subsequent collision with terrain during the inadvertent flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he and passenger were conducting a high-speed taxi operation with no intention for flight. While on the runway with partial power selected, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control and elected to execute a takeoff to avoid ground obstacles. During the unintended flight, the pilot reported that the airplane did not respond normally to flight control inputs and subsequently impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. Examination of the flight control system revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: N12GX (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Experimental Nieuport-12 - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: n/a - Year built: 1987 - Engines: Rotax 582 64 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 7TX7, Midland, TX - Destination: 7TX7, Midland, TX - Airport: 7TX7, Ryan Aerodrome, runway SOUTH, 2,650 × 150 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 2, 2020; seat: rear; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 416 total, 0 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F - Altimeter: 230.13 inHg - Observed at: KMAF, 12 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 20211201021719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211201021719A), Dec 1, 2021: Lee G R/Robertson R A 7/8 NIEUPORT-12, Midland, TX, Destroyed. On December 1, 2021, at approximately 1540 CDT, a Lee g r robertson 7/8TH nieuport-12 aircraft bearing registration number N12GX crashed. The aircraft was… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 18, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104361. 4.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13063869&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo of airplane at accident site (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13064661&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20of%20Airplane%20at%20Accident%20Site-Rel.pdf - Correspondence with FAA (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13074416&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Correspondence%20with%20FAA_Redacted-Rel.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.