Amateur-built SKY RANGER II accident near San Manuel, Arizona, March 7, 2015
On March 7, 2015 at about 3:45 pm local time, a 2004 amateur-built SKY RANGER II, registered N132ES, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Manuel, Arizona (San Manuel airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2015 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- San Manuel, Arizona · San Manuel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKY RANGER II NO SERIES, built 2004
- Registration
- N132ES · registry record · serial 0207206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a no flap landing. About 5 feet over the runway, the pilot attempted to center the airplane over the center line but input too much rudder, the airplane landed hard, bounced, and then departed the runway to the left. The nose gear and left main landing gear separated from the fuselage; subsequently the left and right fuselage stringers sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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 in flight during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 8, 2013
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,450 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 469 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 15, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,212 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 469 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E77 San Manuel AZ at 3:00 pm
- Destination: E77 San Manuel AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,207 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:58 pm from KDMA, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on April 28, 2015. 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 | Record of Conversation (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation (Flight Instructor) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1 – View of Right Side Nose Section (Photo Courtesy of the Owner) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 2 – View of Right Side Stringer (Photo Courtesy of the Owner) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 3 – View of Left Side Stringer (Photo Courtesy of the Owner) | PDF, 1 page | 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.