Amateur-built Storm accident near Gaffney, South Carolina, October 13, 2025
On October 13, 2025 at about 9:10 pm local time, a amateur-built Storm (weight-shift aircraft), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Gaffney, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during the initial climb, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2025 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Gaffney, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Storm
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial None
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of an unregistered experimental weight-shift-control aircraft was attempting to depart from private property with one passenger onboard. The pilot reported that during the initial climb after takeoff, while attempting to clear trees, the aircraft stalled and impacted terrain. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff 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 › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from SPA, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSPA 132055Z AUTO 02004KT 10SM SCT050 BKN085 26/11 A2991
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ERA26LA017.