Higgens RANS S-12 XL N7304Q

Summary

On 6 September 1997 at about 15:30 local time, a Higgens RANS S-12 XL registered N7304Q was involved in an accident near Tuscola, Illinois, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 September 1997 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tuscola, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

39.7907, -88.2810

Aircraft

Higgens RANS S-12 XL

Registration

N7304Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI97LA287

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that he and the passenger were maneuvering in the vicinity of the passenger's house. He said, 'At a cruise speed of 60 miles per hour and 6,000 rpm, at 500 feet above ground level (agl) and a heading of 300-degrees, we entered a shallow right turn around the west side of the house. After passing the north side and heading down the east side of the house (heading approximately 150 to 180-degrees), we started to lose altitude.' The pilot lowered the nose and added full power. He then raised the nose to a level flight attitude, but the airplane continued to descend. 'At this point, impact with the ground was imminent.' Examination of the airplane revealed no anomaly.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.