Amateur-built RANS S 12 accident near Rusk, Texas, March 7, 2015
On March 7, 2015 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1995 amateur-built RANS S 12, registered N154BH, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Rusk, Texas (Cherokee County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain control while maneuvering for a forced landing, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2015 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rusk, Texas · Cherokee County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RANS S 12, built 1995
- Registration
- N154BH · no longer on the register · serial 0195553
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger had purchased the experimental amateur-built airplane about 2 weeks before the accident flight and was conducting a familiarization flight with a private pilot. The pilot had about 11,000 hours of total flight time, with about 2 hours in the accident make and model. Witnesses reported that the airplane was conducting touch and go takeoffs and landings but that the engine did not sound normal. They subsequently saw the airplane maneuver toward a field before it stalled, collided with trees, and impacted the ground. There was evidence of fuel at the accident site, and inspection of the airframe and engine did not reveal any abnormalities. According to the carburetor icing probability chart, the airplane was operating in an environment conducive to light carburetor icing at cruise or descent power; it is unlikely that the loss of engine power was the result of carburetor ice accumulation. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on available information.
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 engine power (partial) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 11,445 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: December 9, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,406 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 3, 2015
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (piston); 310 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JSO Rusk TX
- Destination: JSO Rusk TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.51 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from JSO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on June 23, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photo of the Accident Site and Main Wreckage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record FAA Inspector Information and Witness Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for the Record Weather Information and Carburetor Icing Probabilty | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Errata for Docket Item 3 Memorandum for the Record Weather Information and Carburetor Icing Probability | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Carburetor Icing Probability Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Pilot Bfr Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Aircraft Bill of Sale Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Aircraft Conditional Inspection Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.