Van's RV-12IS N245EM

Summary

On 5 April 2024 at about 19:54 local time, a Van's RV-12IS registered N245EM was involved in an accident near Lake Elmo, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 April 2024 at 19:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Elmo, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Elmo (21D)

Coordinates

44.9943, -92.8539

Aircraft

Van's RV-12IS

Registration

N245EM

Category

Airplane

Year built

2020

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA149

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and the nose gear collapsing. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s lack of experience.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo student pilot was landing the light-sport airplane on the runway when it bounced multiple times. The nose gear collapsed, the propeller struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright on the runway in a nose-down attitude. The student pilot was able to exit the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented by initiating a go-around after the first bounce but concluded that his reason for not initiating a go-around, was due to his lack of experience.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.