- Date
- February 15, 2026, 18:15 local (Feb 16, 2026, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Wendover, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N420MSAerosport Ikarus C42E
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20260215002419A
- Case key
- 202447
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s mismanagement of engine power during a maximum performance, 180° climbing left turn at a low altitude that resulted in impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during a personal flight at dusk, he descended to get a closer look at the sunset reflecting off the water on the salt flats. Afterwards, he performed a chandelle maneuver to reverse course and depart the area. He initiated the maneuver by adding full power, banked left and established a climb. At the apex of the climbing left turn, the airspeed decreased and he lowered the nose to regain airspeed. The pilot stated that they were very quickly in a nose down dive, and due to the low altitude, he had little time to troubleshoot and recover. Subsequently, the airplane landed in a flat attitude, which resulted in substantial damage to the aluminum main cross beam landing gear attachment point structure. The pilot added that at some point during the maneuver, power was accidentally reduced and he didn’t notice. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N420MS
- Reported as
- Aerosport Ikarus C42E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0606-6814
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 1,841.5
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 18, 2025
- Departed
- ENV · Wendover Airport, UT
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- ENV
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 9, 2025
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 640.5 total · 190.8 in this make and model · 570.7 as pilot in command · 216.1 in the last 90 days · 112 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- KENV, 7 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KENV 160056Z AUTO 26004KT 10SM CLR 09/M04 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP129 T00891044=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 1, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.