Rans, Inc. S-12 XL accident near Los Banos, California, October 9, 2002
On October 9, 2002 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Rans, Inc. S-12 XL, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Banos, California. It was a personal 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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in a stall. A contributing factor was the pilot's decision to conduct a downwind takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2002 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Los Banos, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans, Inc. S-12 XL
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The unregistered airplane lost power during takeoff from a clearing in a wildlife refuge, impacted terrain, cartwheeled, and came to rest inverted. A buffeting in cruise flight had caused the pilot to make a precautionary landing. The pilot knew that the engine would exceed red line (overspeed) each time that he applied full power. He attributed this to the propeller pitch setting that he had made before a previous flight. He thought that the blades might have come loose due to the engine vibrations. The propeller blades were ground adjustable, but he did not have the proper equipment to make the adjustments with him. After a 30-second engine run on the ground and observing nothing abnormal, he proceeded with the takeoff. A Department of Interior officer responding to the airplane's landing in a wildlife refuge reported that the pilot took off downwind. A post accident examination revealed no discrepancies that could account for the loss of power.
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: 235 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 26, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 975 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 528 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3O8 Harris Ranch CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: PVT Turlock CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KMCE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.