Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12 accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, July 10, 2026
On July 10, 2026 at about 4:23 pm local time, a 2015 Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N812MM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Grand Junction, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 10, 2026 · about 4:23 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Junction, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12, built 2015, amateur-built · all RV-12s on the register
- Registration
- N812MM · registry record · serial 120517
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 10, 2026, about 1023 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Vans Aircraft Inc RV-12 airplane, N812MM, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Grand Junction, Colorado. The pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that he picked up the airplane at Blake Field Airport (AJZ), Delta, Colorado, after a condition inspection was completed and planned to fly to Mineral County Memorial Airport, Creede, Colorado. After departure from AJZ, the Garmin G3X Touch display dimmed and shut down, which was immediately followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot stated there was no electrical power to the starter switch, but the communication radio continued for function. The pilot then performed a forced landing to a field during which the airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The airplane was retained 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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 522.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: AJZ Delta CO at 3:54 pm
- Destination: C24 Creede CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from GJT, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN26LA251.