Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41 550FG accident near Oro Valley, Arizona, November 27, 2017
On November 27, 2017 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2006 Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41 550FG, registered N2526C, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Oro Valley, Arizona (La Cholla Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate cooling time between repeated heavy braking applications, which resulted in the brakes overheating and a subsequent brake fire during the aborted takeoff sequence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2017 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oro Valley, Arizona · La Cholla Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Columbia Aircraft Mfg LC41 550FG 550FG, built 2006 · all LC41 550FGs on the register
- Registration
- N2526C · no longer on the register · serial 41569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the engine surged during an attempted takeoff, and she aborted the takeoff. She let the engine idle for about 5 minutes and then attempted another takeoff. However, the engine surged again. The pilot applied the brakes and aborted the second takeoff. As the pilot was trying to determine the problem and was planning to taxi back to the hangar, the airplane started rolling across the runway and the pilot lost braking capability. The airplane rolled across and off the runway into a ditch. The brakes caught fire which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that the airplane was at its maximum gross weight at the time of the accident. The pilot operating handbook for the accident airplane stated that after heavy braking, especially when the airplane is near gross weight, the pilot should allow the brakes to cool for about 20 minutes before additional heavy braking, as the brakes may overheat. It is likely that due to insufficient time to allow the brakes to cool, during the second aborted takeoff sequence, the brakes overheated, which resulted in a brake fire and led to the pilot's loss of braking capability.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during taxi (from runway)
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Braking capability › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 408.6 hours in all; 24.1 in this make and model; 2.7 in the last 90 days; 1.7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 7, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 921.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-550-C9 (piston); 922 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 57AZ Tuscon AZ at 6:30 pm
- Destination: KSBS Steamboat Sprin CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,670 ft by 44 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 31, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Do Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Columbia 400 (LC41-550FG) with Garmin Integrated Flight Display Pilota��s Operating Handbook Excerpt | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N2526C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.