Aerosport LTD IKARUS C42E accident near Wendover, Utah, February 16, 2026
On February 16, 2026 at about 1:15 am local time, a 2006 Aerosport LTD IKARUS C42E, registered N420MS, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Wendover, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s mismanagement of engine power during a maximum performance, 180° climbing left turn at a low altitude that resulted in impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2026 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Wendover, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerosport LTD IKARUS C42E, built 2006 · all IKARUS C42Es on the register
- Registration
- N420MS · registry record · serial 0606-6814
- 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 during a personal flight at dusk, he descended to get a closer look at the sunset reflecting off the water on the salt flats. Afterwards, he performed a chandelle maneuver to reverse course and depart the area. He initiated the maneuver by adding full power, banked left and established a climb. At the apex of the climbing left turn, the airspeed decreased and he lowered the nose to regain airspeed. The pilot stated that they were very quickly in a nose down dive, and due to the low altitude, he had little time to troubleshoot and recover. Subsequently, the airplane landed in a flat attitude, which resulted in substantial damage to the aluminum main cross beam landing gear attachment point structure. The pilot added that at some point during the maneuver, power was accidentally reduced and he didn’t notice. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Powerplant parameters › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 640.5 hours in all; 190.8 in this make and model; 216.1 in the last 90 days; 112 in the last 30 days; 570.7 as pilot in command; 187.1 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 9, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,841.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,190 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 1,841 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENV Wendover Airport UT at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KENV, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KENV 160056Z AUTO 26004KT 10SM CLR 09/M04 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP129 T00891044=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of damage to the left main landing gear attachment points
Photograph 2 – View of the left main landing gear attachment point separationThe 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 1, 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 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Manual Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR26LA104.