Amateur-built Series 7 accident near Lemmon Valley-Golden Valley, Nevada, January 19, 2026
On January 19, 2026 at about 5:33 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built Series 7, registered N775DZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lemmon Valley-Golden Valley, Nevada (Hillside airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inability to maintain clearance from terrain during a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2026 · about 5:33 pm local time
- Place
- Lemmon Valley-Golden Valley, Nevada · Hillside · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Series 7, built 2007
- Registration
- N775DZ · registry record · serial 1001
- 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 he had performed a stop-and-go in a dirt clearing with a slight upslope. The pilot attempted to land in the clearing a second time, but during the landing flare, the pilot realized that he was going to land about 50 to 100 ft past his previous landing point and observed large sticks and a dirt mound in the available landing area ahead of the airplane. The pilot said that he initiated a go-around by applying full power and noted that he did not have the performance while in the low energy state. Subsequently, the landing gear briefly contacted the ground and the left wing dropped before the airplane impacted terrain. During the accident sequence, the left wing, left flaperon, and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
- Landing area overshoot during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: military, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 354 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 22, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,212.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 1, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 452 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RTS Reno NV at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 am from KRNO, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRNO 191755Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 02/M04 A3036 RMK AO2 SLP289 T00221044 10028 21039 51013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of accident airplane
Photograph 2 – View of left-wing damage
Photograph 3 – View of left flaperon damage
Photograph 4 – View of bent fuselage tubeThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 2, 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.