Amateur-built LANCAIR 235 accident near Redding, California, April 29, 2000
On April 29, 2000 at about 5:45 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR 235, registered N235RL, was destroyed in an accident near Redding, California (Redding Municipal 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 loss of directional control during takeoff for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2000 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Redding, California · Redding 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 235 LANCAIR 23
- Registration
- N235RL · registry record · serial BT004
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed in a post impact fire after the airplane departed the runway, struck a berm, became airborne, and came back to rest on the runway during the takeoff roll. The pilot attempted to correct for the movement to the left with right rudder; however, the airplane continued to leave the runway. Reported winds at the time of the accident were from the north-northwest at 5 knots. The airplane was inspected at a remote location after the retrieval. A malfunction could not be determined because of fire damage to the airplane, and the removal of the rudder prior to the inspection.
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: 523 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 454 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1999; 750 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 860 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RDD at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 0Q9 Sonoma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 7,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from RDD
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.