Amateur-built Lancair LC3 accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, November 20, 2004
On November 20, 2004 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Lancair LC3, registered N41MF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Las Cruces International 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's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 2004 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Las Cruces International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Lancair LC3
- Registration
- N41MF · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during rotation the airplane "turned right." He attempted to correct but the airplane continued off the runway to the right and impacted terrain.
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: 1,629 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 271 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2004; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRU Las Cruces NM at 6:30 pm
- Destination: ALM Alamogordo NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,069 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 6:11 pm from LRU, 1 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.
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.