Amateur-built S-7 RANS accident near Wessington Springs, South Dakota, June 6, 2026
On June 6, 2026 at about 3:00 pm local time, a amateur-built S-7 RANS, registered N4186J, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Wessington Springs, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
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 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2026 · about 3:00 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Wessington Springs, South Dakota · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S-7 RANS
- Registration
- N4186J · registry record · serial 0309527
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4186J on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Wessington Springs Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in South Dakota 467 since 1982 · 67 in the last ten years
- South Dakota 2,272 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR26LA231.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.