Schlagenhauf LANCAIR IV accident near Gastonia, NC
On May 25, 1995, a Schlagenhauf LANCAIR IV (airplane) was involved in an accident near Gastonia, NC. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 25, 1995
- Place
- Gastonia, NC
- Aircraft
- Schlagenhauf LANCAIR IV · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.209°N, 81.230°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03405
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 25, 1995, about 1651 eastern daylight time, a Mackenzie Air, Ltd. Lancair IV-P, N453A, collided with terrain during an emergency landing at Gastonia, North Carolina. The commercial pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 by Mackenzie Air, Ltd. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local, test flight. The flight originated at the Gastonia Municipal Airport at an undetermined time. Numerous witnesses observed fire trailing from the underside of the aircraft, near the lower engine cowling. The aircraft contacted a small stand of trees, then impacted the ground in an open field. It was reported that the purpose of the flight was to test the transponder. The total time on the airframe was about 14 hours, according to one of the builders. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot's log contained a record of 7.1 flight hours in the same make and model airplane. Between April 28, 1995, and May 12, 1995, 6.6 hours were recorded as having been flown in the accident airplane. The remarks associated with those flight entries indicated that the following maneuvers were performed in the accident airplane: takeoff and landings, slow flight, stalls, spins, and cross country flights. Entries in the pilot's log also indicated that he completed a biennial flight review on March 19, 1995, in conjunction with a preparation flight for the certified flight instructor's flight check. According to the pilot log, he satisfact
Probable cause
An in-flight fire of undetermined origin that resulted in a loss of control and impact with the ground.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.