Amateur-built SKYRANGER II accident near Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, May 11, 2024
On May 11, 2024 at about 7:21 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built SKYRANGER II, registered N122LF, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Breaux Bridge, Louisiana (Bordelon Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 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 decision to depart with the airplane over maximum gross weight, which reduced the climb performance and resulted in a collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2024 · about 7:21 pm local time
- Place
- Breaux Bridge, Louisiana · Bordelon Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKYRANGER II, built 2007
- Registration
- N122LF · registry record · serial SKR0603698
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger planned to complete a local flight from a private grass strip. Before departure, the pilot told the passenger that they would need to fly under power lines, then they could climb to a higher altitude. After flying under the power lines, the airplane continued about 0.5 nm at a low altitude and the right wing struck a tree. The airplane impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on passenger weight and fueling information provided by the airstrip owner and friend of the pilot, the airplane was likely over its maximum gross weight, which resulted in a degraded climb performance.
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 in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Maximum weight › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 2200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06/2, 2,985 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KLFT, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLFT 111953Z VRB04KT 10SM CLR 28/16 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP136 T02830156
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on July 25, 2024. 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 | FAA Examination Summary | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence - Law Enforcement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence - Airstrip Owner | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 8 pages | 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 N122LF 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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN24LA194.