# NTSB CEN25LA345: Vans RV-12IS, N18HS, Hartford, WI, August 26, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 26, 2025, 08:20 local (13:20 UTC) - Place: Hartford, WI - Coordinates: 43.350047, -88.390241 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3500&lon=-88.3902&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: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 15, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 200874 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA345 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200874/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200874 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA345 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while landing on a turf runway. ## 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: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [Vans RV-12IS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=069002L), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/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) ## Analysis The student pilot was performing a landing after a solo flight. He attempted to land on runway 27 twice but there were trucks on the runway. He performed a go-around and switched to runway 18 which is a turf/grass runway. Immediately following touchdown, the airplane hit a bump on the runway and the airplane to become airborne again. The airplane porposied twice and the nose landing gear contacted the ground and collapsed which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N18HS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18HS), registered now, S/N 121381, built 2024 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VANS AIRCRAFT INC RV-12IS - Registry model: [Vans RV-12IS](https://openairdocs.org/model/vans-rv-12is) (registry code 069002L) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912IS2](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912is2) (registry code 55590, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 121381 - Year built: 2024 - Airframe hours: 88 - Engines: Rotax 912 iS Sport 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Kettle Moraine Youth Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Kettle Moraine Youth Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, August 5, 2025 - Departed: HXF, Hartford, WI - Airport: HXF, Hartford Muni, runway 18, 2,231 × 196 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; student; seat: left; flight hours: 17 total, 17 in this make and model, 2 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: KUNU, 14 nm away - METAR: KUNU 261335Z AUTO 28003KT 10SM CLR 13/10 A3022 RMK AO2 T01330099 TSNO ## 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 20250826019429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250826019429A), Aug 26, 2025: Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12IS, Hartford, WI, Substantial damage. On Tuesday morning, August 25, 2025, at 6:00 am, the pilot arrived at the airport at 7:00 am and completed a pre-flight walkaround of the aircraft. After… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 15, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200874. 5.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19285950&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN25LA345%20-%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19285180&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN25LA345%20-%20PHOTOS-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.