Lancair LANCAIR SUPER ES accident near Ely, MN
On August 21, 2020, a Lancair LANCAIR SUPER ES (airplane) was involved in an accident near Ely, MN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 21, 2020
- Place
- Ely, MN
- Aircraft
- Lancair LANCAIR SUPER ES · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 47.894°N, 91.771°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200821X35853
Official records · CEN20LA354
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 20, 2020, about 2306 central daylight time, an experimental amateur built, Lancair Super ES airplane, N997S, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Ely, Minnesota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot arrived at Ely Municipal Airport (ELO), Ely, Minnesota, about 1200, and was given a minivan to use. The pilot returned to the airport between 1600-1700 and asked airport personnel if he could continue to use the minivan. The fixed base operator at ELO closed at 1700. The pilot was waiting for the destination weather at Grand Marais, Minnesota, located about 58 nm east of ELO and was fogged in, to clear A playback of recorded ATC radar data showed that the airplane departed ELO about 2201 and proceeded on a northeasterly course after departure at an altitude that ranged from about 2,500-2,900 ft. msl or about 1,000 – 1,500 ft agl. The radar track indicated several turns while the airplane proceeded northeast. The radar track had its highest altitude over White Iron Lake, which was about 3,200 ft msl. The last data point was recorded at 2206 over the lake. Although the direct course to the destination airport was about 97 degrees, it intersected a large prohibited area P-204 located about 8 nm east of ELO prohibiting aircraft activity below 4000 ft msl over the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area. The accident pilot’s track towards and over White Iron Lake was outside the prohibited area. Two witnesses at White Iron Beach Resort, located o
Probable cause
The non-instrument rated pilot’s improper decision to attempt flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain.
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Browse: Minnesota · Lancair aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
