Rans S12 accident near Socorro, NM
On February 1, 2019, a Rans S12 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Socorro, NM. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- February 1, 2019
- Place
- Socorro, NM
- Aircraft
- Rans S12 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.024°N, 106.898°W
- NTSB ID
- 20190201X91949
Official records · WPR19LA078
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On February 1, 2019, about 1355 mountain standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Rans S-12XL airplane, N536RH, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Socorro, New Mexico. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Radar flight track data showed the airplane depart from runway 33 at Socorro Municipal Airport (ONM), Socorro, New Mexico. The airplane remained in the vicinity of the airport and completed multiple turns. The flight track ended about 1 mile northwest of the accident site. The airplane impacted a parked and unoccupied helicopter and a light pole, before it came to rest in a vacant parking lot at ONM. There were no witnesses to the accident. The pilot was transported to the hospital, and after seven days, died from his injuries. Witnesses in a nearby building heard the airplane’s engine at “high rpm” and the airplane’s impact sequence shortly after. According to a family member, the accident flight was the pilot’s third flight in the airplane, and he had a total flight time of about 25 minutes in the airplane. The pilot had replaced various tubing, replaced the sparkplugs, and rebuilt both carburetors soon after purchasing the airplane. The family member further stated that the pilot was experiencing weight and balance and stability issues and had communicated with the aircraft manufacturer on the horizontal stabilizer position. In an email to the manufacturer, the pilot reported to a friend that during that second flight the horizontal stabilizer was
Probable cause
A loss of control for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
More accidents in NM
- Gates Learjet 25D, Sep 5, 1993
- Piper PA-32-300, Dec 26, 1982
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Jun 25, 1992
- Cessna 421C, Feb 11, 1985
- Beech 58, Mar 26, 1982
Browse: New Mexico · Rans aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
