Amateur-built Rans S-7 accident near Lafayette, Louisiana, February 25, 2001
On February 25, 2001 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Rans S-7, registered N777SB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Louisiana (Private Strip 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 improper flare which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 2001 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Louisiana · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rans S-7
- Registration
- N777SB · registry record · serial 0795150RA
- 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 was practicing soft and short field landings at the private grass airstrip. He completed 15 landings to runway 09 and configured the airplane for a simulated engine failure and a short field landing. He stated that during the landing flare, the airplane "hit hard," and the right main landing gear failed. Subsequently, the airplane traveled 36 feet and came to rest inverted.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 830 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 746 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 27, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 21, 2000; 106.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0R3 Abbeville LA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Lafayette LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.