Amateur-built LANCAIR 235 accident near Longmont, Colorado, September 3, 2014
On September 3, 2014 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built LANCAIR 235, registered N211AL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Longmont, Colorado (Vance Brand Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent application of the brake which resulted in the loss of directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2014 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Longmont, Colorado · Vance Brand Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR 235 NO SERIES, built 2008
- Registration
- N211AL · registry record · serial 11
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll, at a point about two-thirds the way down the runway, the airplane veered to the left. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway, through the rough terrain, over a bump, and into a ditch. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical failure/malfunction of the airplane, and that due to the tight foot space; he most likely inadvertently applied the left brake which resulted in the airplane veering to the left.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,247 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 23, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 187 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 31, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,685 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 B2B (piston); 185 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: MCK Mccook NE at 7:15 pm
- Destination: LMO Longmont CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,799 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 9:34 pm from LMO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 CEN14CA483.