Amateur-built Lanceair accident near Albuqurque, New Mexico, May 21, 2011
On May 21, 2011 at about 11:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Lanceair, registered N79BC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Albuqurque, New Mexico (Double Eagle airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control while landing in gusty conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2011 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Albuqurque, New Mexico · Double Eagle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Lanceair
- Registration
- N79BC · registry record · serial 668-320-412FB
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had just touched down with a 12-knot crosswind when the wind suddenly gusted to 36 knots and pushed the airplane off the runway. The pilot stated that he attempted to fly out of the condition by adding power, and the airplane became airborne about three times; however, the landing gear became side-loaded and the right gear collapsed. The left wing also contacted the ground and sustained a two foot-wide gouge in the leading edge. The sudden wind shift/gust was confirmed by the tower air traffic controller and approximately one hour later the airport's automated weather observation system reported the wind shifted to 240 degrees and increased to 21 knots gusting to 28 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,700 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Wichita KS
- Destination: AEG Albuqurque NM
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 22
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from AEG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN11CA354.