Amateur-built VANS RV-14A accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky, July 18, 2025
On July 18, 2025 at about 12:00 pm local time, a 2024 amateur-built VANS RV-14A, registered N288EE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Bowling Green, Kentucky (Bowling Green-Warren County Rg 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 pilot’s failure to attain an appropriate touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a runway overrun and collision with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2025 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bowling Green, Kentucky · Bowling Green-Warren County Rg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VANS RV-14A, built 2024
- Registration
- N288EE · registry record · serial 140972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the purpose of the flight was to perform a quick check of all the airplane’s systems prior to conducting a long cross-country flight the following week. While returning to the pilot’s home airport, the pilot reported that he was too high and fast during his final approach. The pilot elected to continue with the landing and touched down on the runway approximately mid-field. The pilot reported that he was “travelling too fast to stop before the end of the runway,” despite the use of heavy braking. The airplane exited the end of the runway and impacted a fence that surrounded the airport perimeter, substantially damaging both of the airplane’s wings. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 831.5 hours in all; 46.3 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2.6 in the last 30 days; 688.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 18, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 46.3 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 28, 2024; 46.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,040 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming YIO-390-A3B6 (piston); 46 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,956 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 am from BWG, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBWG 181153Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 25/23 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP179 T02500228 10250 20239 53006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 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 November 20, 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 and Pilot Statements | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 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.