Amateur-built LANCAIR 360 accident near Vancouver, Washington, August 25, 2008
On August 25, 2008 at about 9:15 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR 360, registered N6114, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Vancouver, Washington (Pearson Airpark airport). 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 pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2008 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Vancouver, Washington · Pearson Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR 360
- Registration
- N6114 · registry record · serial 467-320-214-FB
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the automated terminal information service reported that the winds were from the west at 6 knots. He entered downwind for runway 26, turned a long final at 500 feet, and planned to touch down just past the runway numbers. He noted a headwind as he approached at 90 miles per hour (mph). About 20 feet above ground level, the airplane suddenly sank. The airplane touched down hard in a nose-high attitude and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded about 1,000 feet and stopped off the left side of the runway. The pilot noted that he normally flew an approach speed of 90 mph, and chose to do so because the runway was only 2,600 feet long due to a displaced threshold. He uses 100 mph in high temperature or gusty wind conditions. He opined that if he had been at 100 mph, he might have been able to stop the unexpected high sink rate prior to contacting the runway.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,261 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,261 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 16, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 216 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 1, 2008; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 6:50 pm
- Destination: VUO Vancouver WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,275 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from PDX, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.