Vulcanair S P A VULCANAIR V1.0 N186DS

Summary

On 8 February 2025 at about 03:33 local time, a Vulcanair S P A VULCANAIR V1.0 registered N186DS, operated by Delaware State University Aviation Program, was involved in an accident near Cheswold, Delaware, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

8 February 2025 at 03:33

Classification

Accident

Location

Cheswold, Delaware, United States

Nearest airport

Delaware Airpark (33N)

Coordinates

39.2166, -75.6093

Aircraft

Vulcanair S P A VULCANAIR V1.0

Registration

N186DS

Category

Airplane

Year built

2019

Engines

1

Operator

Delaware State University Aviation Program

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Myrtle Beach → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA25LA113

2 people had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On February 7, 2025, at 2233 eastern standard time, a Vulcanair S.p.A V1.0, N186DS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cheswold, Delaware. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 instructional flight. According to the pilot-rated passenger, the purpose of the flight was for the pilot to perform a cross-country flight to gain experience toward the pilot’s commercial pilot certificate. According to preliminary ADS-B data, the airplane departed from Delaware Airpark (33N), Dover, Delaware at 0906, and arrived at Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at 1245. According to the pilot, prior to departing MYR, they refueled the airplane to full fuel tanks for the return flight to 33N. At 1849, the ADS-B data revealed the airplane departed MYR and flew northeast. The pilot reported that they flew to Ocean City Municipal Airport, Ocean City, Maryland to perform a touch-and-go landing, followed by a flight to the Delaware Coastal Airport (GED), Georgetown, Delaware to perform another touch-and-go landing. After departing GED, they flew directly to 33N. When they were about 5 nautical miles south of 33N, the pilot maneuvered to the right base of the traffic pattern for runway 09 and descended to 1,000 ft msl. The pilot turned onto final approach when the airplane was about 2 miles from the approach end of the runway. While on short final approach, the pilot realized he was low and added engine power to adjust his glideslope. The pilot reported that engine power increased for about 2 seconds, and then the engine completely lost power. The pilot determined that he had insufficient altitude to reach the runway and performed a forced landing in the grass area just prior to the approach end of the runway. Shortly after touchdown on the grass, the airplane nosed over, which substantially damaged the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and the left wing. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.