Amateur-built LSA-8X accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts, May 7, 2026
On May 7, 2026 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built LSA-8X, registered N912Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hyannis, Massachusetts (Cape Cod Gateway airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 control of the airplane while landing, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2026 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hyannis, Massachusetts · Cape Cod Gateway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LSA-8X
- Registration
- N912Z · registry record · serial 8021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that this was the first flight of the experimental exhibition airplane. After departure, she performed maneuvers in the airplane and observed acceptable performance of certain flight instruments, flight controls, and avionics. After she finished the maneuvers, the pilot flew to her destination airport. According to the pilot, everything was normal until touchdown, when the airplane landed hard, bounced, and began to porpoise. The pilot reported, “I realized I should have gone around too late.” The airplane then ground looped and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage and empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) 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 › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,471 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,385 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 25, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 14, 2026; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Aerospace Technolo O-200-D4B (piston); 2 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5B6 East Falmouth MA at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,425 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.68 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from HYA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KHYA 072056Z 22011KT 10SM CLR 14/05 A2968
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 ERA26LA202.