On the afternoon of January 2, 2025, a Van’s Aircraft RV-10 took off from Fullerton Municipal Airport in California, embarking on what should have been a simple personal flight. Within minutes, however, the aircraft was in distress. The pilot made a desperate radio call for an immediate landing, but before he could return to the runway, the plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing facility. The crash killed both the pilot and his passenger, while injuring 19 people on the ground—eight seriously. What went wrong?
The Pilot and His Homebuilt Aircraft
The RV-10 was an experimental, amateur-built aircraft, completed by the pilot in 2011 after receiving its kit in the late 2000s. The design features gull-wing doors, which open upward and must be securely latched before flight. The pilot had made several modifications to the door’s locking system, replacing key components with custom-built alternatives. Crucially, a secondary safety latch—standard in all RV-10s built after 2010—was never installed, despite the manufacturer recommending its use.
Takeoff and an Unsecured Door
Security footage showed the aircraft at the runup area before takeoff, with its left door visibly misaligned. Witnesses later confirmed that as the plane lifted off, the door was open. One observer even saw an arm reach up to pull the door shut—an ominous sign that the pilot was already dealing with an in-flight distraction.
Despite this, the aircraft climbed to about 950 feet mean sea level (roughly 860 feet above the airport elevation) and reached a speed of 95 knots before the pilot called out, “immediate landing required.” Air traffic control instructed him to land on any runway. He chose to return to Runway 24.
A High-Stakes Turn to Disaster
As the pilot maneuvered for landing, his speed dropped to 85 knots. Witnesses, all experienced pilots, watched in horror as the RV-10 banked aggressively, almost showing its full wing profile—a sign of dangerously low speed and high angle of attack. Moments later, the aircraft rolled right, its nose dropped, and it plummeted toward the ground.
Dashcam footage captured the final second before impact. The plane struck a warehouse in a fiery explosion, destroying parts of the building and sending debris flying. Inside, the fuselage came to rest on a pallet rack, consumed by flames. The engine, firewall, and instrument panel were ejected 40 feet forward, escaping the fire’s reach.
The Missing Door and a Critical Design Flaw
Investigators found the left cabin door on the facility’s roof, about 150 feet from the crash site. It had torn away from its hinges, its latch pins extended only halfway. A simple test showed that had the handle been moved slightly further forward, the door would have fully locked.
Additionally, the RV-10’s original latch indicator system—which warns pilots if a door isn’t fully secured—had been modified. The accident aircraft only had sensors on the rear latches, meaning a front latch failure would not trigger a warning light.
A Chain of Events Leading to Disaster
While an open door in flight is rarely catastrophic on its own, it introduces distractions and aerodynamic disturbances that can become dangerous, especially at low altitudes. The pilot’s attempt to return immediately may have led to a rushed, high-angle turn—one that likely resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
This crash highlights critical safety lessons:
✅ Pre-flight checks matter—even small deviations, like an improperly latched door, can escalate into life-threatening situations.
✅ Modifications should be carefully evaluated—the pilot’s decision to alter the factory-recommended latching system may have contributed to the accident.
✅ Handling in-flight distractions is crucial—aviate, navigate, then communicate. Addressing a door issue mid-flight must be balanced with maintaining safe aircraft control.
A Preventable Tragedy
This accident underscores how seemingly minor oversights can have devastating consequences. The RV-10’s original design included safeguards, but when those were modified or omitted, they left room for failure. Ultimately, a combination of an unsecured door, in-flight distraction, and a critical low-speed maneuver likely sealed the fate of the flight.
