Amateur-built RV-7A accident near Jaffrey, New Hampshire, May 21, 2026
On May 21, 2026 at about 3:52 pm local time, a 2024 amateur-built RV-7A, registered N732JG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Jaffrey, New Hampshire (Jaffrey Airfield Silver Ranch). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in a touchdown off the paved runway surface and a collision with terrain during the subsequent aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2026 · about 3:52 pm local time
- Place
- Jaffrey, New Hampshire · Jaffrey Airfield Silver Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-7A, built 2024
- Registration
- N732JG · registry record · serial 74732
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the airplane at the destination airport and reported that during the landing approach, just before touchdown, the airplane suddenly drifted to the left. The airplane’s main landing gear briefly touched down off to the left side of the 134-ft-wide asphalt runway before the airplane became airborne again. The pilot added power to abort the landing, but heard a “rotating, whirring, vibration” noise from under the airplane and perceived that the airplane was not accelerating like he though it should. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground, nosed over, and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, right wing, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 203 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 203 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 4, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 91.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 15, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming YO-360-A1A (piston); 128 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5B0 Selkirk NY at 3:22 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,982 ft by 134 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from AFN
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAFN 211552Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM FEW110 14/02 A3023
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View from the nose showing impact point and inverted airplane
Photograph 2 – Right-hand side view showing damage to fuselage and right wing
Photograph 3 – Left-hand side view showing damage to empennageThe 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 10, 2026. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 4 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.