Amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY accident near Livingston, Texas, October 18, 2014
On October 18, 2014 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY, registered N550AC, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Livingston, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A catastrophic and uncontained engine failure due to oil starvation. Contributing to the accident was the missing No. 3 cylinder intake rocker cover for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2014 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Livingston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY NO SERIES, built 2008
- Registration
- N550AC · registry record · serial L2K-315
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was returning from an air race competition and that, about 15 minutes into the flight, he heard a "thump" and thought the airplane had struck a bird. The pilot then heard a second "thump" along with a "rattle and vibration," so he found a place to make a forced landing. While preparing to land, he heard an "explosion" and then saw flames by his left foot and black smoke fill the cockpit. The pilot made a forced landing to a field and exited the airplane before it was destroyed by fire. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 cylinder's exhaust rocker cover was present but that it was only installed on the cylinder by one screw. The other four screws were missing. The No. 3 cylinder's intake rocker cover and aft rocker arm bolt were missing. The forward rocker arm bolt was installed but loose, and visible rubbing was observed on the boss where the missing bolt was supposed to be installed. According to the engine manufacturer, if a rocker cover is not installed, the engine will port out most of its oil is several minutes. Therefore, the missing rocker cover likely resulted in the engine losing a significant amount of oil during the flight, which led to a catastrophic and uncontained engine failure. It is also likely that, when the crankcase was breached, the fuel lines and the electronic fuel transducer were compromised, which resulted in the subsequent in-flight fire. The No. 3 cylinder intake rocker cover was not located at the accident site, and the pilot reported that he did not know why the rocker cover and aft rocker arm bolt were not installed or why the exhaust rocker cover was only partially installed. He said that the engine performed great during the air race and that he did not perform engine maintenance after the race.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 675 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 646.8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 27, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-N (piston); 647 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: JAS Jasper TX at 11:15 pm
- Destination: Buchanan Dam TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on May 21, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Witness Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Alan Crawford | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Richard Ball | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation - Inspector Jim Stahl (Hou Fsdo) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 1 - Engine Cowling | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 2 - Holes in Engine Crankcase (Top View) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo 3 - #3 Cylinder | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N550AC 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.