Rans S6ES accident near Bayou La Batre, Alabama, April 22, 1996
On April 22, 1996, a Rans S6ES, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N5144X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bayou La Batre, Alabama (Roy Ray 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. The gusty/crosswind condition was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1996
- Place
- Bayou La Batre, Alabama · Roy Ray · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans S6ES, amateur-built · all S6ESs on the register
- Registration
- N5144X · registry record · serial 1092365
- 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 the airplane encountered gusty wind and a downdraft on final approach to runway 18. Subsequently, the airplane struck trees short of the runway threshold.
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: 321 hours in all; 142 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 282 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 155 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1995; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 935 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5R7 at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N5144X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA96LA125.