Amateur-built Lancair IV accident near Allendale, South Carolina, May 16, 2003
On May 16, 2003 at about 9:58 pm local time, a amateur-built Lancair IV, registered N29ME, was destroyed in an accident near Allendale, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather ,thunderstorms, that resulted in the design limits of the airplane being exceeded.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2003 · about 9:58 pm local time
- Place
- Allendale, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Lancair IV
- Registration
- N29ME · no longer on the register · serial 200
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was operating the airplane on an IFR flight plan into instrument meteorological conditions in an area of known thunderstorms with severe turbulence. The airplane disappeared from radar coverage and was located in a wheat field by Sheriff Department personnel. The airplane sustained an in-flight airframe breakup. Airframe components recovered from the accident site were submitted to the NTSB Material Laboratory for examination. The examination revealed all failures were due to overload. Examination of the airframe revealed the airframe design limits were exceeded. The pilot received several preflight briefings through the use of the DUAT system. The products used forecasted thunderstorm activity along the route of flight and the pilot received Convective SIGMET's and Central Weather Advisories warning of developing thunderstorms.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 835 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 678 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-ES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PLD Portland IN at 6:52 pm
- Destination: 73J Buford SC
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from OGB, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N29ME the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.