# NTSB ERA25LA210: Vans RV-12, N813JC, Abingdon, VA, May 24, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 24, 2025, 17:13 local (21:13 UTC) - Place: Abingdon, VA · In a field - Coordinates: 36.72, -81.98 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7200&lon=-81.9800&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 14, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200200 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA210 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200200/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200200 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA210 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Vans RV-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=0690009), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Vans RV-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=0690009), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/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 final: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Vans RV-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=0690009), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Vans RV-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0690009), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Vans RV-12, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0690009), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he did not visually verify the quantity of fuel in the airplane’s fuel tanks prior to departing on the accident flight. While enroute he climbed to 10,000 ft. mean sea level where he encountered a headwind that was greater than he had anticipated. As the pilot approached the intended destination, the engine lost power completely, so the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the off-airport landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted resulting in substantial damage to the left wing, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. Postaccident examination of the airplane found that the airplane’s fuel tank, gascolator, and carburetors were absent of fuel. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that the accident could have been prevented by refueling before takeoff. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N813JC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N813JC-2025-10-06), registration cancelled 2025-10-06, S/N 120219, built 2011 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VANS AIRCRAFT INC RV-12 - Registry model: [Vans RV-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/vans-rv-12) (registry code 0690009) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 120219 - Year built: 2011 - Airframe hours: 378.1 - Engines: Rotax 912ULS3 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, September 24, 2024, 20 hours before - Departed: FVX, Farmville, VA - Destination: VJI, Abingdon, VA - Airport: VJI, Virginia Highlands - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 82; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 20, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,000 total, 238 in this make and model, 3,830 as pilot in command, 7.4 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: VJI, 1 nm away - METAR: KVJI 242215Z AUTO 26008KT 10SM CLR 18/07 A3018 RMK AO2 ## 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 20250524005529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250524005529A), May 24, 2025: Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12, Abingdon, VA, Substantial damage. On 5-24-2025 the pilot departed on a flight from fvx to vji. Used foreflight to calculate fuel and check weather. Did not visually check fuel level. Relied on… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200200. 5.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18917118&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1%20Signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� FAA inspector statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18916023&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18917060&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA25LA210-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.