Amateur-built RANS S12XL accident near Homestead, Florida, September 9, 2000
On September 9, 2000 at about 10:35 pm local time, a amateur-built RANS S12XL, registered N823S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida (Homestead Gen. Aviation airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare during landing which collapsed the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 2000 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · Homestead Gen. Aviation · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RANS S12XL
- Registration
- N823S · no longer on the register · serial 01960685
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness to the accident stated that he was watching the airplane conduct touch and go landings on runway 27. 'While attempting a landing, the pilot flared and stalled the plane at what appeared to be 15 feet above the ground. The aircraft dropped almost vertically and severed the left main gear on impact.' Winds on the day of the accident were 340 at 3 knots. According to the pilot in a written statement; 'I made a hard landing on runway 27U (grass ultra-light strip) at Homestead General Airport, Florida (X-51) causing the tire on the left main gear to blow.' The wheel pant and blown tire dragged in tall grass separating the left main gear, substantially damaging the airframe.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 462 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 341 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 225 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 1999; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 920 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503ULDCD1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X51 at 9:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from HST, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N823S 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.