Amateur-built Lancair 235 accident near Hays, Kansas, June 13, 2004
On June 13, 2004 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Lancair 235, registered N70718, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hays, Kansas. 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's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. Factors associated with the accident were the gusty crosswind, the runway marker sign, and the taxiway lights which were contacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2004 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hays, Kansas · 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
- Registration
- N70718 · registry record · serial 037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted a runway marker sign and taxiway lights following a loss of directional control during a landing roll. The airplane departed the runway approximately 3,000 feet from the approach end. It traveled off the east (left) side of the runway where it contacted the sign and taxiway lights prior to coming to rest a couple hundred feet off the side of the runway. The landing was being made on runway 16 and the local winds reported 10 minutes prior to the accident were from 190 degrees at 23 knots gusting to 28 knots.
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: 166 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DMO Sedalia MO at 12:15 pm
- Destination: HYS Hays KS
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 23 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from HYS
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.
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 CHI04CA156.