Amateur-built Vegas Sport Flyer accident near Mountain Pass, California, May 1, 2007
On May 1, 2007 at about 2:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Vegas Sport Flyer, registered N169BC, was destroyed in an accident near Mountain Pass, California (Sky Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of airplane control while maneuvering after takeoff for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2007 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mountain Pass, California · Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Vegas Sport Flyer
- Registration
- N169BC · registry record · serial 01
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident airplane was the second of two airplanes to takeoff for the intent of flying formation to another airport. The pilot of the first airplane reported that after takeoff, he made a turn to the north followed by a 360-degree turn to locate the second airplane. He saw the airplane following him around in the circle, and once he completed the circle, he again made a turn to the north and flew towards their destination. The first pilot thought that the accident pilot was following him, but when he arrived at their destination, he did not see the second airplane. The first pilot returned to the departure airport and noted a small fire off the end of the runway in the area where he had last seen the accident airplane. The first pilot stated that at no time during the flight did he hear a transmission from the accident pilot. There were no ground witnesses to the accident. The wreckage debris was in a confined area and came to rest about 30 feet from the ground scars constituting the first point of ground impact on the flat open terrain. The fuselage structure, cockpit, and engine suffered considerable impact and thermal damage. The airframe and engine were examined by FAA inspectors. Due to the impact and thermal damage only partial flight control continuity could be established. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were identified.
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: 327 hours in all
- Last flight review: September 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru EA-81 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3L2 Sandy Valley NV at 2:10 pm
- Destination: NV74 Pahrump NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from HND, 26 miles away
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX07LA147.