Rans S18 accident near Shattuck, Oklahoma, September 29, 2015
On September 29, 2015, a Rans S18, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Shattuck, Oklahoma (Grass Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain control of the unregistered airplane during initial climb and his subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in a stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2015
- Place
- Shattuck, Oklahoma · Grass Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans S18, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial None
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noncertificated pilot was conducting a personal flight in the noncertificated experimental, amateur-built airplane. The pilot had flown to the grass airstrip along with two other pilots, who were flying ultralight trike aircraft. One of the trike pilots reported that each pilot conducted two or three landings at the grass airstrip. The two trike pilots then taxied their aircraft to the northeast end of the airstrip to prepare to depart for the final takeoff. The accident airplane was faster than the trikes and departed while the trike pilots were still taxiing, so they did not see the accident airplane again, and no one witnessed the accident. The trike pilot stated that he believed that the accident airplane might have initially departed to the west, that he and the other trike pilot had departed to the southeast, and that it is possible that the accident pilot was turning his airplane to join them when the accident occurred. The airplane wreckage was subsequently located in a nearby field, and it was oriented to the southeast. The postaccident examination of the wreckage indicated that the airplane impacted terrain in a steep nose-down attitude consistent with a stall/spin. The examination of the airframe, engine, and propeller revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Further, no evidence was found indicating that any medical conditions or substances contributed to the accident. It is likely that the pilot was turning to the southeast after departure and then failed to maintain airplane control and exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in a stall/spin.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute (climb to cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: None Shattuck OK
- Destination: GAG Gage OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from GAG, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 UNREG 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.