Amateur-built RV7 accident near Columbus, Indiana, July 28, 2012
On July 28, 2012 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RV7, registered N282DL, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Columbus, Indiana (Columbus Municipal 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 failure of the right main landing gear attach bolt for undetermined reasons because the bolt was not received for examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2012 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Indiana · Columbus Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV7
- Registration
- N282DL · registry record · serial 72821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About midpoint in the takeoff roll, the airplane veered sharply to the left before exiting the runway and coming to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear attach bolt had sheared and failed. The failed bolt was lost during shipment to the NTSB’s materials laboratory; consequently, the reason for the bolt failure could not be determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,736 hours in all; 344 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 2,520 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 272 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 12, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Mattituck TMX IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BAK Columbus IN at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 8A7 Mocksville NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 05, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.