# NTSB ERA25LA113: Vulcanair S P A Vulcanair V1.0, N186DS, Cheswold, DE, February 8, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: February 7, 2025, 22:33 local (Feb 8, 2025, 03:33 UTC)
- Place: Cheswold, DE · Grass area at 33N
- Coordinates: 39.216623, -75.609254 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2166&lon=-75.6093&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 199669
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA113
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199669/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA113

## Preliminary report

On February 7, 2025, at 2233 eastern standard time, a Vulcanair S.p.A V1.0, N186DS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cheswold, Delaware. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 instructional flight. According to the pilot-rated passenger, the purpose of the flight was for the pilot to perform a cross-country flight to gain experience toward the pilot’s commercial pilot certificate. According to preliminary ADS-B data, the airplane departed from Delaware Airpark (33N), Dover, Delaware at 0906, and arrived at Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at 1245. According to the pilot, prior to departing MYR, they refueled the airplane to full fuel tanks for the return flight to 33N. At 1849, the ADS-B data revealed the airplane departed MYR and flew northeast. The pilot reported that they flew to Ocean City Municipal Airport, Ocean City, Maryland to perform a touch-and-go landing, followed by a flight to the Delaware Coastal Airport (GED), Georgetown, Delaware to perform another touch-and-go landing. After departing GED, they flew directly to 33N. When they were about 5 nautical miles south of 33N, the pilot maneuvered to the right base of the traffic pattern for runway 09 and descended to 1,000 ft msl. The pilot turned onto final approach when the airplane was about 2 miles from the approach end of the runway. While on short final approach, the pilot realized he was low and added engine power to adjust his glideslope. The pilot reported that engine power increased for about 2 seconds, and then the engine completely lost power. The pilot determined that he had insufficient altitude to reach the runway and performed a forced landing in the grass area just prior to the approach end of the runway. Shortly after touchdown on the grass, the airplane nosed over, which substantially damaged the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and the left wing. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

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

- [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Vulcanair S P A VULCANAIR V1.0, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=6780115), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370); cases with it: [Vulcanair S P A VULCANAIR V1.0, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=6780115), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N186DS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N186DS-2026-08-24), registration cancelled 2026-08-24, S/N 1022, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VULCANAIR S P A VULCANAIR V1.0
- Registry model: [Vulcanair S P A VULCANAIR V1.0](https://openairdocs.org/model/vulcanair-s-p-a-vulcanair-v1-0) (registry code 6780115) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-M1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-m1a) (registry code 40891, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1022
- Year built: 2019
- Airframe hours: 936.3
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Delaware State University Aviation Program
- Registered owner: Delaware State University Aviation Program
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2024
- Departed: MYR, Myrtle Beach, SC
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: 33N, Delaware Airpark, runway 09, 4,201 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observed at: KDOV, 8 nm away
- METAR: KDOV 080355Z AUTO 34005KT 10SM CLR M00/M07 A3024 RMK AO2 SLP244 T10031073

## 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 20250207000809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250207000809A), Feb 7, 2025: Vulcanair S P A VULCANAIR V1.0, Cheswold, DE, Substantial damage. While aircraft was on final approach for landing to runway 09, the aircraft experienced a total loss of engine power, resulting in the aircraft landing short…

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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