Hays Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hays, Kansas 67601
Wednesday, March 26, 1997 18:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot/owner of the experimental airplane reported that he had recently completed building the airplane. The pilot had three hours of flight time in the airplane. The pilot/owner reported that he was practicing a no-flap landing. He crossed the runway threshhold at 55 miles per hour, but with a 'fast sink rate.' He added power and flared, but landed hard. The airplane skidded off the runway and hit a runway sign.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot improperly flared the airplane and the pilot's lack of experience in the type of airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/26/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HAYS
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67601
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HAYS MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HYS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1998
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 204
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N102EY
NTSB Number CHI97LA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROCHETTE
Aircraft Model RANS S-12 XL
Aircraft Series Identifier RANS S-12
Aircraft Serial Number 05960728
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 27 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARC A. ROCHETTE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1250 ROLLINS RD.
Aircraft Owner City BURLINGAME
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64010
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code HYS
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 6301
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --