Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC42-550FG accident near Burnsville, North Carolina, May 26, 2007
On May 26, 2007 at about 3:07 pm local time, a Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC42-550FG, registered N2537A, was destroyed in an accident near Burnsville, North Carolina (Mountain Air Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing resulting in a loss of directional control and subsequent impact with several parked airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2007 · about 3:07 pm local time
- Place
- Burnsville, North Carolina · Mountain Air Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC42-550FG · all LC42-550FGs on the register
- Registration
- N2537A · no longer on the register · serial 42504
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to land at an airport that was located on the top of a mountain, and the single runway was 2,875 feet long by 50 feet wide. The airplane approached runway "high and fast," touched down within the first third, and bounced about 10 to 20 feet above the surface. The airplane bounced again about 300 feet further down the runway, in a 20- to 30-degree nose up attitude, and with the speed brakes deployed. The airplane then veered left of the runway centerline, and the engine sound increased to "full power." As the airplane headed toward an embankment off the left side of the runway, it rolled right, and the right wing tip scraped the runway. After traveling up the embankment, the airplane turned back toward the runway, crossed it, and struck four parked airplanes. A post-impact fire consumed the accident airplane, and two of the four parked airplanes. Examination of the wreckage identified no preimpact mechanical anomalies, and there were not notable medical anomalies associated with the pilot.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,672 hours in all; 11 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SPG St. Petersburg FL at 8:02 am
- Destination: 2NC0 Burnsville NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 2,875 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 023° at 1 knots, gusting 6
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from 2NC0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 NYC07FA126.