Arion Aircraft LLC LIGHTNING LS-1 accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky, November 14, 2025
On November 14, 2025 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 2010 Arion Aircraft LLC LIGHTNING LS-1, registered N897PR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bowling Green, Kentucky (Bowling Green-Warren County Rg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control while landing in a strong quartering headwind, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with an airport sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2025 · about 8:00 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Bowling Green, Kentucky · Bowling Green-Warren County Rg · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Arion Aircraft LLC LIGHTNING LS-1, built 2010 · all LIGHTNING LS-1s on the register
- Registration
- N897PR · registry record · serial 96
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the wind speed at the airport had increased significantly since his departure about 1 hour earlier. He stated that at touchdown, an unexpected strong wind gust lifted the right wing, and the left wingtip contacted the runway. The airplane subsequently veered to the left and collided with an airport sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot was landing with a 20° right-quartering headwind at 12 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 756 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 705 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 6, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 333.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2025; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300 (piston); 334 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KBWG
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBWG 141953Z AUTO 23012KT 10SM FEW055 24/11 A3007
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 14, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N897PR on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Arion Aircraft Llc LIGHTNING LS-1 23 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Jabiru 3300 475 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Bowling Green-Warren County Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Kentucky 702 since 1982 · 111 in the last ten years
- Kentucky 2,980 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA26LA042.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.