Evektor-Aerotechnik As Sportstar accident near Greenville, South Carolina, June 27, 2007
On June 27, 2007 at about 2:47 pm local time, a Evektor-Aerotechnik As Sportstar, registered N812EV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina (Donnaldson 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 inadvertent use of the wrong rudder during initial climb which resulted in a loss of control and collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2007 · about 2:47 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, South Carolina · Donnaldson Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Evektor-Aerotechnik As Sportstar · all Sportstars on the register
- Registration
- N812EV · registry record · serial 20070812
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was practicing touch-and-go landings and he believes that a sudden crosswind from the right lifted the light sport airplane's wing abruptly, and caused his foot to slide off the right rudder pedal, unknowingly onto the copilot's left rudder pedal. He further stated that at that time he depressed the pedal which caused the airplane to veer to the left and depart the runway while airborne. He said he was unable to "straighten the nose back to the original heading and lift the left wing with what was believed to be right rudder", and the left wing impacted the ground. The pilot said that pilot's right rudder pedal was too close to the copilot's left rudder, without any partition separating them and the rudder pedals had no foot guards to prevent feet from sliding off the pedals. The pilot said that prior to the accident, there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,833 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 5,681 as pilot in command; 2,095 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,211 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax ULS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Service Group LLC (Avserve)
The flight
- Departed from: GYH Greenville SC at 2:47 pm
- Destination: GYH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:47 pm from GYH
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.