# NTSB ERA26LA022: Rans Employee Flying Club Rans S-6ES Coyote II, N43822, Williston, SC, October 24, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 24, 2025, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Williston, SC · RY 31 / 95SC - Collided with trees on takeoff
- Coordinates: 33.371761, -81.463987 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3718&lon=-81.4640&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 11, 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): 201922
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA022
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201922/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201922
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA022

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the initial climb in gusting crosswind conditions.

## 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: [Rans Employee Flying Club RANS S-6ES COYOTE II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05604IV), [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: [Rans Employee Flying Club RANS S-6ES COYOTE II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05604IV), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation; cases with it: [Rans Employee Flying Club RANS S-6ES COYOTE II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=05604IV), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Initial climb: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Rans Employee Flying Club RANS S-6ES COYOTE II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=05604IV), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was departing from a 2,395-ft-long by 50-ft-wide turf runway. The pilot reported that after the airplane lifted off the ground, a wind gust lifted the right wing and the airplane turned to the left. The airplane subsequently impacted trees off the left of the runway and came to rest suspended in the trees. The right wing and empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N43822](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N43822), registered now, S/N 12041628, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RANS EMPLOYEE FLYING CLUB RANS S-6ES COYOTE II
- Registry model: [Rans Employee Flying Club RANS S-6ES COYOTE II](https://openairdocs.org/model/rans-employee-flying-club-rans-s-6es-coyote-ii) (registry code 05604IV) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax SEE BOMBADIER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-see-bombadier) (registry code 55555, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 12041628
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 877
- Engines: ROTAX 912UL-EPL 80 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special); Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, August 13, 2025
- Destination: 6J6, Trenton, SC
- Airport: 95SC, Buckeye Fld, runway 31, 2,395 × 50 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; sport pilot, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; last flight review August 6, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 323 total, 90 in this make and model, 285 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 3019.00 inHg
- Observed at: BNL, 9 nm away
- METAR: METAR KBNL 241855Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 23/02 A3019

## 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 20251024018479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251024018479A), Oct 24, 2025: Rans Employee Flying Club RANS S-6ES COYOTE II, Williston, SC, Substantial damage. Airman stated that he had a wind gust that blew him into a tree.

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201922. 7.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19543025&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02-Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 104 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19534890&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04-MOR%20Pilot%20Interview_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19609242&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photo%20array%20in%20PDF-Rel

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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