Vans RV12 accident near Stevensville, Maryland, April 19, 2016
On April 19, 2016 at about 4:44 pm local time, a 2015 Vans RV12, registered N276VA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Stevensville, Maryland (Bay Bridge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during approach for landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2016 · about 4:44 pm local time
- Place
- Stevensville, Maryland · Bay Bridge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans RV12, built 2015
- Registration
- N276VA · no longer on the register · serial 12056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot of the light sport airplane was approaching the airport for landing in gusty front quartering crosswind conditions. Witnesses observed the airplane on final approach between 50 and 75 ft above ground level. The airplane's nose pitched up, followed by a roll to the right. The airplane then entered a nose-down attitude and descended to ground contact, impacting level terrain about 750 ft from the runway and slightly left of the extended runway centerline. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Before the accident flight, the pilot had about 2.4 hours of experience in the accident airplane make and model but had been signed off to fly the airplane by an instructor. Witness observations of the final moments of flight are consistent with an aerodynamic stall. It is likely that the pilot failed to compensate for the gusty crosswind and turbulent conditions during the approach for landing, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, aerodynamic stall, and subsequent loss of control.
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 approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,136 hours in all; 2.7 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 314.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 16, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 315 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Yoxford Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ESN Easton MD at 4:25 pm
- Destination: W29 Stevensville MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,713 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from ESN, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on May 1, 2018. 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 | Witness Statements | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Conversation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records Excerpts | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot Operating Handbook-performance and Airspeed Excerpt | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | ATC Communications Summary of Flight | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | radar Data Flight Track | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Weather Information - Memorandum of Record | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Party Form- Van's Aircraft, Inc. | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Wreckage Release and Evidence Control Forms | PDF, 3 pages | 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.