Amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY accident near Pioneer, California, May 18, 2011
On May 18, 2011 at about 10:45 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY, registered N121J, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pioneer, California (Tracy Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions at an insufficient altitude to clear terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2011 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pioneer, California · Tracy Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR LEGACY
- Registration
- N121J · no longer on the register · serial L2K-232
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the personal flight, the airplane impacted mountainous terrain. The witness marks and debris field were consistent with an in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Weather information available for the time of the accident showed suspended precipitation and/or instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) near the accident site and the potential for icing in the accident area. The airplane's altitude could not be identified on radar; therefore, it could not be determined whether the airplane was flying in frozen, liquid, or a mixed-phase of precipitation at the time of the accident. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane likely impacted terrain due to the pilot's decision to continue flight into IMC at an insufficient altitude to clear terrain.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,020 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tumbleweed INC
The flight
- Departed from: Minden NV
- Destination: Tracy CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from CXP, 48 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.