Amateur-built Lancair IV-P Turbine accident near San Diego, California, May 8, 2006
On May 8, 2006 at about 7:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Lancair IV-P Turbine, registered N5M, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Montgomery Field). 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 collapse of the left main gear for undetermined reasons. A factor was the pilot's inadequate remedial action in response to the left main gear not locked warning light by not attempting to manually extend the gear to ensure it was fully down and locked.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2006 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Lancair IV-P Turbine
- Registration
- N5M · registry record · serial LIV-490
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway after the left main gear collapsed on landing. The pilot was cleared to land on runway 28L. He lowered the landing gear in preparation for landing, and received an indication of three green lights confirming that the gear was down and locked. At this point, an electrical power failure occurred, and he initiated a go-around. He turned the emergency battery on, and this restored power to the radio and several critical systems. The gear lights indicated that only the nose and right main were now down and locked. He asked the tower controller to confirm the gear position. The tower said it appeared to be down, and cleared the pilot to land on runway 28R. Upon touchdown, the left main gear collapsed. The pilot stated that he should have tried to pump the gear in an attempt to get it in the locked position. No determination was made regarding the reason for the collapse of the left main landing gear.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 125 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 270 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Walter (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KDVT Phoenix AZ at 6:30 pm
- Destination: KMYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28R, 4,577 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MYF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.