Rans S7 N8932L

Summary

On 13 May 2023 at about 20:42 local time, a Rans S7 registered N8932L was involved in an accident near Gardner, Kansas, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 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

13 May 2023 at 20:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Gardner, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Gardner Muni (K34)

Coordinates

38.8104, -94.9539

Aircraft

Rans S7

Registration

N8932L

Category

Airplane

Year built

2022

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA184

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control at too low of an altitude to recover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was in the front seat and a passenger, who is a flight instructor, was in the rear seat. Due to his injuries, the pilot was unable to recall what happened during the accident sequence. The passenger reported that during the takeoff, the airplane began to drift to the right. The airplane came near another airplane that was on the grass and the pilot “pitched up” to avoid the other airplane. The airplane exceeded its critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control at an altitude too low to allow for recovery. The passenger estimated the aerodynamic stall occurred at 50 ft agl. The airplane impacted terrain, came to rest upright, and a postimpact fire ensued. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The passenger reported that the engine was producing full power until the time of impact, and he did not hear any abnormal engine noises during the accident flight. A postaccident examination confirmed flight control continuity for the airframe.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.