Amateur-built LANCAIR 360 accident near Hampton, Georgia, April 18, 1995
On April 18, 1995 at about 6:13 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR 360, registered N360BJ, was destroyed in an accident near Hampton, Georgia (Tara Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of recent flying experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1995 · about 6:13 pm local time
- Place
- Hampton, Georgia · Tara Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR 360 LANCAIR 36
- Registration
- N360BJ · registry record · serial 51925
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT/BUILDER HAD JUST COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER CONSTRUCTION. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT LOST POWER DURING THE DOWNWIND PHASE OF THE VFR APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A SHARP TURN TOWARD THE AIRPORT, AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN ABOUT 600 FEET WEST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 6. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT, AS A RESULT OF THE WIND DIRECTION, THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING AN APPROACH TO WAS NOT THE RUNWAY IN USE AT THE TIME. THE PILOT'S SON-IN-LAW STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT DONE ANY FLYING FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, EXCEPT FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS OF TRAINING IN A LOW PERFORMANCE AIRCRAFT JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,975 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,679 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 4A0 Stockbridge GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,375 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from MCN, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
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.