Rans, Inc. S-7 accident near Chugiak, Alaska, September 10, 2001
On September 10, 2001 at about 4:00 am local time, a Rans, Inc. S-7, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N4012H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska (Birchwood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent stall of the airplane during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2001 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Chugiak, Alaska · Birchwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans, Inc. S-7, amateur-built
- Registration
- N4012H · no longer on the register · serial 13
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he intended to perform a few "high-speed taxi runs" on the runway, and that he was not intending to fly the airplane. He said that during the first taxi run, the nose of the airplane "felt heavy." He returned to the airplane's parking area, added about 60 pounds of ballast weight to the rear seat area, and taxied back to the threshold of the runway in preparation for a second taxi run. During the second taxi run, he said the airplane inadvertently became airborne, veered to the right, and climbed to about 150 feet above the runway surface. The pilot said that he applied full left rudder in an attempt to correct the turn, and at the same time reduced engine power in an attempt to land on the runway. The pilot said that all he could remember was that the airplane became inverted just before striking the ground.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCV Chugiak AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: BCV Chugiak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19R, 4,010 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4012H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.