Rans S12 N3581S

Summary

On 9 April 2011 at about 18:20 local time, a Rans S12 registered N3581S was involved in an accident near Fort Collins, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 April 2011 at 18:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Collins, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Yankee Field Airport (CO53)

Coordinates

40.6339, -104.9878

Aircraft

Rans S12

Registration

N3581S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Collins → Fort Collins

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11CA289

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadvertent application of full right rudder during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was conducting an off-airport precautionary landing due to an unanticipated gusting wind and turbulence. Just before touchdown the pilot made a sudden right turn to avoid a single-wire electric livestock fence when the right wing stalled and he lost control. The airplane then impacted terrain causing substantial damage to the fuselage frame, both wings, and the engine mount. The pilot stated that he had more experience in weight-shift control light sport airplanes and that the throttle in that type of aircraft was controlled with the right foot. He commented that during the sudden right turn he might have inadvertently applied full right rudder thinking that he was applying full throttle. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies or failures with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.