Lancair Company LC42-550FG accident near Humboldt Bay, California, June 20, 2024
On June 20, 2024 at about 5:31 pm local time, a 2005 Lancair Company LC42-550FG, registered N141PB, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Humboldt Bay, California. 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
Maintenance personnel’s incorrect installation of an engine rocker cover gasket, which resulted in oil exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power during the initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2024 · about 5:31 pm local time
- Place
- Humboldt Bay, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lancair Company LC42-550FG, built 2005 · all LC42-550FGs on the register
- Registration
- N141PB · registry record · serial 42066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost most of its oil, resulting in a partial engine seizure and a total loss of engine power. During a forced landing to a soft field, the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a rocker cover gasket was misaligned before the accident. The gasket was unable to maintain an adequate seal and opened during the accident flight. Oil was then ejected out of the gap between the rocker cover and cylinder head, which resulted in oil exhaustion. Maintenance that was performed about 20 flight hours before the accident flight would have included installing the gasket. Maintenance instructions required a series of specific steps to install the gasket; based on the condition of the gasket after the accident, the instructions were likely not followed properly.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 8, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,176 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 2023; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors IO 550N (piston); 1,097 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKA Eureka CA at 5:24 pm
- Destination: APA Napa CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from KFOT, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KFOT 201735Z AUTO 34005KT 4SM OVC003 10/10 A2995 RMK AO1=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 23, 2025. 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 | NTSB Engine Examination Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | SIL21-04B Service Information Letter | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.
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 WPR24LA210.