Evolution 19 Lancair Evolution accident near Mesa, AZ
On July 17, 2017, an Evolution 19 Lancair Evolution (airplane) was involved in an accident near Mesa, AZ. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 17, 2017
- Place
- Mesa, AZ
- Aircraft
- Evolution 19 Lancair Evolution · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 33.469°N, 111.713°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170717X15023
Official records · WPR17FA155
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Excerpts of Transcripts: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control Radar Data Plotted: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 17, 2017, at 1652 mountain standard time, an experimental amateur-built Lancair Evolution, N571JM, was substantially damaged when it impacted a golf course while on approach for landing to Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, Arizona. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was privately owned and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed and activated for the flight, which departed from Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, about 1555, with a planned destination of John Wayne-Orange County Airport, Santa Ana, California. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provided radar data and audio transcripts of the pilot's communications with air traffic control. After departing Deer Valley, the pilot was cleared to climb to 21,000 ft mean sea level (msl). About 1615, the pilot advised an Albuquerque Center controller that he was having "an electrical charging issue" and requested to go to Falcon Field, explaining that was where the airplane's maintenance facility was located. The airplane subsequently made a right turn and began an east-southeasterly track directly toward Falcon Field as the airplane climbed to 22,000 ft msl (see figure 1). At 1617:20, no altitude was associated with the radar return, consistent with a temporary lack of power to the airplane's transponder. The pilot overflew numerous airports on the way to Falcon Field and did not declare an emergency. Figure 1:
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering for landing, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction due to a failure with the airplane's electrical system, failure to follow emergency procedures and to continue with a known electrical problem.
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Browse: Arizona
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
