Amateur-built Europa XS accident near Livermore, California, June 16, 2007
On June 16, 2007 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Europa XS, registered N214KS, was destroyed in an accident near Livermore, California (Livermore Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during the initial climb, and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while attempting a return to runway maneuver, which resulted in a stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2007 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Livermore, California · Livermore Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Europa XS
- Registration
- N214KS · registry record · serial A214
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the airplane reach about 300 to 400 feet above ground level (agl) in the initial climb as it approached the departure end of the runway. The airplane then descended about 100 feet as one witness heard the engine begin to sputter, and then lost power. The airplane made a hard left turn and continued to descend while reversing course, consistent with the pilot attempting to return to the runway. As the airplane came close to completing a 180-degree turn, the airplane stalled and dove toward terrain. The airplane impacted in a near-vertical attitude and erupted into flames. The pilot, who was the airplane's builder, had amassed about 300 hours in the accident airplane. The terrain at the end of the departure runway was characteristically flat, stretching over 6,500 feet beyond the runway, and consisted of a golf course and open fields. Investigators found no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures during the examination; however, the extremely impact damaged and thermally consumed wreckage precluded many components and systems from being inspected. An article in the EAA Sport Aviation newsletter detailed the flight characteristics of an Europa that was configured similar to the accident airplane. In pertinent part, it stated that stalls, both with level flight and idle power, are abrupt with a 5- to 10-degree nose drop accompanied by a 5-degree right wing drop. The article reported that there is virtually no traditional stall warning, such as airframe buffeting.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2006; 215 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,470 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914 UL (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LVK Livermore CA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: Yosemite CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25R, 5,253 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from LVK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 LAX07LA148.