Rans S20 accident near Fairfield, Utah, May 27, 2025
On May 27, 2025 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 2025 Rans S20, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N327KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Fairfield, Utah (West Desert Airpark 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2025 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fairfield, Utah · West Desert Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans S20 NO SERIES, built 2025, amateur-built
- Registration
- N327KM · registry record · serial 07220103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 27, 2025, about 1330 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built RANS S20 Raven, N327KM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fairfield, Utah. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that shortly after departing the runway at the West Desert Airpark (UT9), Fairfield, Utah, about 800 ft above ground level, the airplane had a total loss of engine power followed by an error message on the multi function display. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful, and initiated a forced landing on a field. The airplane landed hard on a vegetated field and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff
- Hard landing during landing
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 22, 2025; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17/3, 5,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 80°F (27°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:01 pm from ut9, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPVU 271956Z 27006KT 10SM SCT080 SCT200 25/06 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP148 T02500056
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.