Amateur-built Risen SV accident near Carson City, Nevada, December 13, 2025
On December 13, 2025 at about 6:21 pm local time, a 2025 amateur-built Risen SV, registered N817D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Carson City, Nevada (Carson City airport). It was a flight test 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 failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2025 · about 6:21 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · Carson City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Risen SV, built 2025
- Registration
- N817D · registry record · serial 46
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a maintenance test flight and had conducted several landings, all of which were uneventful. During the final approach to land, he thought he had lowered the landing gear but did not confirm whether the gear-down advisory lights were illuminated. He subsequently landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage composite structure. The pilot reported no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that the LED gear-down advisory lights were not very bright and that sunlight made them difficult to see.
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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,877 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 3,790 as pilot in command; 145 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 58 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 23, 2025; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,378 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 916 IS (piston); 58 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCXP Carson City NV at 5:35 pm
- Destination: KCXP Carson City NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09/2, 6,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.41 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from KCXP, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCXP 131835Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 05/M06 A3028 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 6 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Carbon Fiber Abrasion right of nose-gear
Photograph 2 – Carbon Fiber Abrasion right of nose-gear
Photograph 3 – Carbon Fiber Abrasion on belly
Photograph 4 – Carbon Fiber Abrasion on belly
Photograph 6 – Carbon Fiber Abrasion on belly
Photograph 7 – Aircraft on Runway 27The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 13, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 7 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.