Vans Aircraft INC RV-12 accident near Abingdon, Virginia, May 24, 2025
On May 24, 2025 at about 9:13 pm local time, a 2011 Vans Aircraft INC RV-12, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N813JC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Abingdon, Virginia (Virginia Highlands airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2025 · about 9:13 pm local time
- Place
- Abingdon, Virginia · Virginia Highlands · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft INC RV-12, built 2011, amateur-built
- Registration
- N813JC · no longer on the register · serial 120219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he did not visually verify the quantity of fuel in the airplane’s fuel tanks prior to departing on the accident flight. While enroute he climbed to 10,000 ft. mean sea level where he encountered a headwind that was greater than he had anticipated. As the pilot approached the intended destination, the engine lost power completely, so the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the off-airport landing, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted resulting in substantial damage to the left wing, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. Postaccident examination of the airplane found that the airplane’s fuel tank, gascolator, and carburetors were absent of fuel. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that the accident could have been prevented by refueling before takeoff.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 7.4 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,830 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 20, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 378.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 24, 2024; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS3 (piston); 3,987 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FVX Farmville VA at 6:43 pm
- Destination: VJI Abingdon VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from VJI, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KVJI 242215Z AUTO 26008KT 10SM CLR 18/07 A3018 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 14, 2025. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | 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.
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 ERA25LA210.