Amateur-built RANS S-12 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, December 24, 1996
On December 24, 1996 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RANS S-12, registered N6156K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida. 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
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering after takeoff, which resulted in a stall/mush and collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1996 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · 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-12
- Registration
- N6156K · no longer on the register · serial 0792253
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off in a floatplane from an intercoastal waterway with a wind from the right at 13 knots. He elected to fly over land, reduced engine power when the flight was about 100 feet agl, and climbed to about 150 feet agl. While maneuvering toward water about 10 mph above stall speed, the airplane began descending. The pilot applied full power, but the descent continued, and the airplane collided with trees. The pilot stated that there was no engine failure or malfunction. He did not hold a seaplane class rating.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,104 as pilot in command; 110 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1996; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582LC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from CRG
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.