Amateur-built LANCAIR360 accident near Hardinsburg, Kentucky, July 24, 2025
On July 24, 2025 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1996 amateur-built LANCAIR360, registered N50LM, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Hardinsburg, Kentucky (Breckinridge County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- July 24, 2025 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hardinsburg, Kentucky · Breckinridge County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR360, built 1996
- Registration
- N50LM · no longer on the register · serial 765
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 24, 2025, about 1000 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Lancair 360, N50LM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hardinsburg, Kentucky. The pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot said he departed Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, about 0715, and flew to DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport (DKB), DeKalb, Illinois, with 34 gallons of fuel onboard. The pilot landed in DKB, then taxied back to the runway and departed as a flight of two with a North American Navion, about 0809. Their destination was the Breckenridge Airport (I93), Hardinsburg, Tennessee. The pilot did not purchase fuel in DKB. The pilot said that he followed behind the Navion at an altitude of 7,500 ft. mean sea level (msl) and flew direct to I93. He said he had to reduce his engine’s power setting so as not to overrun the Navion, which was a slower airplane. The pilot said that when he was on short final approach to runway 10 at I93, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. He immediately retracted the landing gear and flaps to extend his glide to the runway. He also attempted to re-start the engine but to no avail. The airplane impacted trees about 1,500 ft. short of the runway threshold, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. There was no post-impact fire. The pilot said his last check of the fuel level onboard was on final approach. He said the fuel totalizer indicated about 6 gallons, which appeared to agree with the sight gauge on the header tank. The airplane wreckage was recovered by the pilot and retained for further examination by the National Transportation Safety Board.
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 engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 215.9 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 6, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,790 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: DKB Dekalb IL at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 11:05 am from KFTK, 24 miles away
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KFTK 241605Z AUTO 24008KT 10SM SCT027 32/25 A3014
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.