Amateur-built Lancair 320 accident near Charleston, New York, July 27, 2001
On July 27, 2001 at about 9:33 pm local time, a amateur-built Lancair 320, registered N92SB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charleston, New York (C4C Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering, which resulted in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2001 · about 9:33 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, New York · C4C Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Lancair 320
- Registration
- N92SB · registry record · serial 347
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route to his destination airport, the pilot diverted to a private airport owned by a friend of his. According to witnesses, the pilot performed several "flybys" at the airport. One witness stated that during the pilot's last pass, the airplane was "coming back down so steep and so fast I knew he was not going to make it." The airplane impacted trees short of the runway. The pilot's last memory of the flight was en route to his original destination airport. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical deficiencies. The pilot reported 1,000 hours of total flight time on his most recent FAA third-class medical issued on June 28, 2001.
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: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,685 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PEO Penn Yan NY
- Destination: 1B1 Hudson NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 270, 1,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from ALB, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 IAD01LA087.