Rans INC S-6 accident near Stonewall, Texas, September 10, 2017
On September 10, 2017 at about 11:50 pm local time, a 2001 Rans INC S-6, registered N112CD, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (aerobatics) near Stonewall, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance while conducting aerobatic flight maneuvers with insufficient altitude to recover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2017 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Stonewall, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans INC S-6, built 2001 · all S-6s on the register
- Registration
- N112CD · registry record · serial 10011423
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and a passenger were conducting a local personal flight. Based on witness statements, the airplane was performing aerobatic maneuvers, including steep climbs and descents and sharp turns. Following one 90° climb followed by a "pivot" and a nearly vertical descent, the witness lost sight of the airplane behind trees and then saw a plume of dust rise above the trees. Another witness reported seeing the airplane "free fall again, nose first," but this time the airplane did not pull up. About a quart of fuel was found in each fuel tank; however, fuel was found in the fuel lines from the fuel tanks to the carburetors, and fuel likely leaked out of the fuel tanks while the wreckage was inverted at the accident site. The composite propeller exhibited little rotational damage likely due to the throttle being at the idle position during ground impact. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preexisting conditions that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (aerobatics) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (aerobatics)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 230 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 488.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 10, 2017
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912-UL (piston); 488 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 30TX Stonewall TX at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 30TX Stonewall TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from T82, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN17FA342.