# NTSB CEN23LA398: Van's RV-12, N321BT, Crystal, MN, September 4, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 3, 2023, 19:00 local (Sep 4, 2023, 00:00 UTC)
- Place: Crystal, MN · Runway 24R at MIC.
- Coordinates: 45.064506, -93.352806 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.0645&lon=-93.3528&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Rotax Aircraft Engines, FAA Minneapolis FSDO, Van's Aircraft, Federal Safety Investigation Authority
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193009
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA398
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193009/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193009
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA398

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and an overstress fracture of the nose landing gear strut.

## 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: [Vans RV-12IS, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Evacuation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460); cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was landing the light-sport airplane on the runway when it bounced two times. The nose gear collapsed, the propeller struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright on the runway in a nose-down attitude. The two occupants were able to exit the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. A postaccident metallurgical examination of the fractured nose landing gear strut revealed features consistent with ductile overstress fracture. There was no evidence of any pre-existing damage to the nose landing gear strut. It is likely the pilot did not attain a proper landing flare, which resulted in the airplane bouncing twice and subsequently sustaining an overstress fracture of the nose landing strut.

## Factual narrative

On September 3, 2023, about 1900 central daylight time, a Van’s Aircraft RV-12iS airplane, N321BT, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Crystal, Minnesota. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the passenger sustained no injury. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The light-sport airplane departed from the Major Gilbert Field Airport (4R5), La Pointe, Wisconsin, about 1725, for the cross-country flight. The intended destination was the Crystal Airport (MIC), Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the landing at MIC, the airplane touched down on runway 24R, which was a dry asphalt runway, and bounced two times. The nose gear collapsed, the propeller struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright on the runway in a nose-down attitude. The two occupants were able to exit the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. A postaccident metallurgical examination of the fractured nose landing gear strut revealed features consistent with ductile overstress fracture. There was no evidence of any pre-existing damage to the nose landing gear strut. The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), which discusses bounced landings and states in part: Since a bounce occurs when the airplane makes contact with the ground before the proper touchdown attitude is attained, it is almost invariably accompanied by the application of excessive back-elevator pressure. This is usually the result of the pilot realizing too late that the airplane is not in the proper attitude and attempting to establish it just as the second touchdown occurs.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N321BT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N321BT), registered now, S/N 12110, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Van's Aircraft RV-12 (iS)
- Registry model: [Vans RV-12IS](https://openairdocs.org/model/vans-rv-12is) (registry code 069002L) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912 IS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912-is-series) (registry code 55593, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 12110
- Year built: 2022
- Airframe hours: 206.6
- Engines: Rotax Aircraft Engines 912iS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Light Sport Aviation Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, April 18, 2023, 77.2 hours before
- Departed: 4R5, La Pointe, WI
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: MIC, Crystal, runway 06L/24R, 2,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; injuries: minor; sport pilot; medical: sport pilot; last flight review July 21, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 193 total, 193 in this make and model, 114 as pilot in command, 55 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observed at: KMIC
- METAR: KMIC 040006Z 18006KT 10SM CLR 33/19 A2971 RMK AO2 T03330194

## 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 20230903015969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230903015969A), Sep 3, 2023: Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12IS, Crystal, MN, Substantial damage. The pilot touched down on runway 24R the aircraft bounced three times on the last bounce the nose gear leg broke off mid way between the upper attach point and…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193009. 15.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16792774&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photographs (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 642 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16793051&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Rel.pdf
- NTSB - materials laboratory examination report (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16791638&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN23LA398%20-%20NTSB%20Materials%20Laboratory%20Examination%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Airplane maintenance records (item 4, PDF, 6 pages, 11.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16792764&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N321BT%20-%20Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- NTSB party member form - van's aircraft (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 745 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16793091&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Party%20Member%20Form%20-%20Van%27s%20Aircraft_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.

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