Amateur-built Lancair IV accident near Wamego, Kansas, April 26, 2003
On April 26, 2003 at about 5:05 pm local time, a amateur-built Lancair IV, registered N7441W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wamego, Kansas (Wamego Municipal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaining altitude/clearance from the runway while maneuvering on final approach. A factor to the accident was the pilot's misjudgment of his altitude while on final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2003 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Wamego, Kansas · Wamego Municipal 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 IV
- Registration
- N7441W · no longer on the register · serial LIV076
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted the runway while performing an S-turn maneuver while landing. The pilot reported he was following another airplane on final approach to runway 17 and had to perform S-turns to increase spacing. He noted that runway 17 was narrower than he was accustomed to, and the perceived aircraft altitude was higher than it actually was. The pilot reported there was no mechanical malfunction or failure.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,380 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 21, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 90 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 2002; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CYW Clay Center KS at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 69K Wamego KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,184 ft by 45 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from MHK, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N7441W 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.