Arion Aircraft LLC LIGHTNING LS-1 accident near Garden City, Kansas, July 3, 2011
On July 3, 2011, a Arion Aircraft LLC LIGHTNING LS-1, registered N125GD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Garden City, Kansas (Garden City Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2011
- Place
- Garden City, Kansas · Garden City Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Arion Aircraft LLC LIGHTNING LS-1 · all LIGHTNING LS-1s on the register
- Registration
- N125GD · registry record · serial 105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had performed one go-around because he believed his speed was too fast. During the second attempt to land, the airplane landed hard and departed the right side of the runway. The right main landing gear separated and the nose gear collapsed. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed that the engine was partially separated from the fuselage and there was substantial damage to the right-wing spar box. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical anomalies or failures.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 625 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 625 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 28, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2010
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 33A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KGCK Garden City KS at 11:30 pm
- Destination: KGCK Garden City KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from KGCK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N125GD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 CEN11CA447.