Rans S-14 accident near Guthrie, Oklahoma, July 1, 2025
On July 1, 2025 at about 1:54 am local time, a Rans S-14, registered N981CS, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Guthrie, Oklahoma (Pvt 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2025 · about 1:54 am local time
- Place
- Guthrie, Oklahoma · Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans S-14 · all S-14s on the register
- Registration
- N981CS · registry record · serial A122184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On June 30, 2025, about 2054 central daylight time, a Rans S-14 airplane, N981CS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Guthrie, Oklahoma. The non-certificated pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A witness reported that he told the non-certificated pilot that he was not allowed to fly the airplane and that he was only supposed to taxi the airplane. About 2015 the non-certificated pilot began to practice taxiing the airplane on the private airstrip. The witnesses stated that about 39 minutes had passed, and he no longer heard the airplane. Witnesses and several others began to search for the airplane; subsequently it was found crashed in a field about 1/2 mile west of the private airstrip with the engine still idling. The airplane was recovered for further examination.
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 in flight during takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KGOK, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGOK 010153Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 25/22 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP167 T02500217 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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 CEN25LA229.