Vans Aircraft INC RV-12IS accident near Hartford, Wisconsin, August 26, 2025
On August 26, 2025 at about 1:20 pm local time, a 2024 Vans Aircraft INC RV-12IS, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N18HS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hartford, Wisconsin (Hartford Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while landing on a turf runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2025 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hartford, Wisconsin · Hartford Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft INC RV-12IS, built 2024, amateur-built
- Registration
- N18HS · registry record · serial 121381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was performing a landing after a solo flight. He attempted to land on runway 27 twice but there were trucks on the runway. He performed a go-around and switched to runway 18 which is a turf/grass runway. Immediately following touchdown, the airplane hit a bump on the runway and the airplane to become airborne again. The airplane porposied twice and the nose landing gear contacted the ground and collapsed which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 88 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 5, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 iS Sport (piston); 88 hours total
- Operator: Kettle Moraine Youth Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: HXF Hartford WI at 12:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,231 ft by 196 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 am from KUNU, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KUNU 261335Z AUTO 28003KT 10SM CLR 13/10 A3022 RMK AO2 T01330099 TSNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 15, 2026. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | 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.