Amateur-built LANCAIR IV accident near Artesia, New Mexico, August 15, 2000
On August 15, 2000 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR IV, registered N494R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Artesia, New Mexico (Artesia Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
Failure by the pilot in command to maintain control of the aircraft during initial climb following takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2000 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Artesia, New Mexico · Artesia Municipal · 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
- N494R · registry record · serial LIV172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During initial climb following takeoff, the aircraft swerved right. Neither pilot was successful in correcting the swerve and the aircraft impacted the ground 150 feet right of the runway. Wind at the time was 10 degrees right of the runway at seven knots. An examination of the aircraft by an FAA airworthiness inspector following the accident reveled no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
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: 349 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 2000; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO550B2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATS Artesia NM at 4:00 pm
- Destination: ROW Roswell NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,399 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from ATS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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.