Amateur-built Legacy accident near Fredericksburg, Texas, December 30, 2025
On December 30, 2025 at about 10:23 pm local time, a 2009 amateur-built Legacy, registered N618AM, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Fredericksburg, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2025 · about 10:23 pm local time
- Place
- Fredericksburg, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Legacy RG, built 2009
- Registration
- N618AM · registry record · serial L2K-320
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 30, 2025, about 1623 central standard time, a Lancair Legacy RG airplane, N618AM, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Fredericksburg, Texas. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A preliminary review of ADS-B data showed that the pilot, who is also the airplane owner and builder, departed in the airplane at 1547 from runway 32 at the Gillespie County Airport (T82), Fredericksburg Texas, for the local area flight. The airplane flew to the west near Harper, Texas, where a maneuver was performed. The airplane then flew to the northwest of Harper, where it performed several maneuvers. After the completion of the maneuvers, the airplane flew to the northeast near Hedwigs Hill, Texas, where it then turned toward the southeast. During the flight toward the southeast, the airplane flew over U.S. Highway 87, the airplane gradually climbed, and its airspeed gradually increased. Near the end of the available ADS-B data, the airplane began to descend, the airspeed decreased, and the ADS-B data terminated about 17.70 miles to the north of T82. The airplane came to rest upright on a remote property, consisting of trees, brush, cactus, and rocks, used for cattle ranching. The area surrounding the accident site consisted of rolling rocky hills. The accident site had an elevation of about 1,720 ft above mean sea level. A postimpact fire consumed the composite airplane and the fire exceeded the planform of the airplane. The airplane was destroyed by the postimpact fire. The wreckage was recovered from the accident site, and it was transported to a secure location. A thermal-damaged Garmin GPSMAP 396 unit was secured and transported to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. The experimental airplane was built from a kit by the pilot in 2009. The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550-N(8) reciprocating engine and a Hartzell Propeller HC-J3YF-1RF/F7391D-3 three-blade controllable pitch aluminum propeller. The pilot held a private pilot certificate (with ratings for airplane single engine land, instrument airplane, and rotorcraft-helicopter), in addition to a repairman experimental aircraft builder certificate for the accident airplane. A preliminary review of meteorological data for the accident flight did not reveal the presence of any turbulence or low-level wind shear.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: T82 Fredericksburg TX at 9:47 pm
- Destination: T82 Fredericksburg TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KT82, 15 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KT82 302215Z AUTO VRB01KT 10SM CLR 15/M11 A3039 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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.