Evektor-Aerotechnik A S HARMONY LSA accident near Grants, New Mexico, August 15, 2024
On August 15, 2024 at about 7:35 pm local time, a 2023 Evektor-Aerotechnik A S HARMONY LSA, registered N272JT, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Grants, New Mexico (Grants-Milan Municipal Airport). It was a positioning 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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation for reasons that could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2024 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Grants, New Mexico · Grants-Milan Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Evektor-Aerotechnik A S HARMONY LSA, built 2023 · all HARMONY LSAs on the register
- Registration
- N272JT · registry record · serial 2023 2225
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the airplane was about 200-300 ft above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot landed the airplane back on the runway near the departure end and subsequently overran the end of the runway. Shortly thereafter, the right wing struck a shrub and the left main landing gear struck a large rock and sheared off, resulting in substantial damage. The airplane came to rest upright about 600 ft from the departure end of the runway. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of failures or malfunctions that would have resulted in the loss of engine power. About 6 gallons of fuel were drained from the right tank and about 2 gallons of fuel were drained from the left tank. According to the airplane Pilot’s Operating Handbook, each fuel tank contained 0.25 gallons of unusable fuel. During the examination, with the left wing slightly lowered, fuel from the left tank was unable to be pumped to the engine, even though the level was above the unusable fuel amount. However, the pilot stated that he had the right fuel tank selected, and fuel continuity to the engine was established with it during postaccident examination; therefore, the low fuel level in the left tank should not have been a factor. According to the airframe manufacturer, the airplane’s unusable fuel was tested in accordance with Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards. Downloaded engine control unit data revealed that, shortly after takeoff, a rapid decrease in the fuel flow and fuel injection mass for each cylinder preceded the decrease of the other engine parameters until shutdown, consistent with fuel starvation. Furthermore, about 5 minutes after the accident, the pilot restarted the engine and ran it for about 30 seconds. Running the engine successfully after the accident likely compromised evidence of what caused the engine failure.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Miscellaneous › Intentional act › Interference › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instructor: sport pilot
- Flight time: 6,479 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 6,405 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 iS (piston); 25 hours total
The flight
- Destination: GUP Gallup NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 7,172 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from KABQ, 19 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KABQ 151852Z 31006KT 10SM FEW110 32/04 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP134 T03220044
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on August 26, 2026. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airframe and Engine Examination Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 4 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N272JT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR24LA281.