Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #69279
From: John Smith <john@jjts.net.au>
Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [LML] Legacy Accident History Update
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2014 15:19:22 -0500
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>
Hi Valin,

You might want to adjust Accident #33 in Geraldton Australia;  this was a "canopy open event".
See link below. Note: final ATSB report not yet available.

http://atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/aair/ao-2013-158.aspx



Regards,

John


John N G Smith
Tel / fax:    +61-8-9385-8891
Mobile:      +61-409-372-975
Email:         john@jjts.net.au


From: Valin & Allyson Thorn <thorn@starflight.aero>
Reply-To: Lancair Mailing List <lml@lancaironline.net>
Date: Friday, 21 February 2014 8:59 PM
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>
Subject: [LML] Legacy Accident History Update

We hope to have the first flight of our Legacy later this year and was surprised so many underwriters were no longer insuring the Legacy.  This motivated me to relook at the accident record and update the summary table I made and sent to the LML when looking at this five years ago.  See the updated table below.   The accident record is disappointing and this probably hasn’t even captured all the accidents worldwide.  If anyone knows of any not shown here please let me know.

 

I found a total of 18 fatal accidents with 27 fatalities since the first (non-fatal) accident in September 2003.  So there is an average of almost 2 fatal accidents per year since then.  I estimate approximately 150 flying Lancair Legacy airplanes (does anyone have a confirmed number?).  With that as a basis, and just counting the years since the first accident, there’s an annual probability of any particular Legacy having a fatal accident of about 1 in 80. 

 

Much can be learned from looking at general aviation accident records and statistics to make us safer/better pilots – but, looking at the specific record of the airplane you’re flying and/or building is most sobering… 

 

Here are some of my take-a-ways from the Legacy’s accident history…

 

1.      Get transition and regular refresher training from experienced Legacy flight instructors – maintain proficiency.

2.      Install and use an angle of attack sensor for all flight phases.

3.      Install a canopy down and latched indicator – simple, two micro-switches and a light.  If the canopy does open in flight, ignore the junk blowing around the cockpit, fly the airplane, get some good altitude, and workout the most stable speed to fly it back to landing.  Install canopy opening/closing mod that doesn’t allow the canopy to go all the way down unless latched (see Don Barnes’ website, builder tips)

4.      Practice, practice, practice engine out failures and glides to emergency landings.

5.      Care for and maintain your engine like your life depends on it – since it does.

 

It’s beyond sad that so many of our pilot brothers have lost their lives flying the Legacy.  This accident history illustrates clearly higher risk compared to the typical personal airplane.  But from the reports of veteran Legacy flyers, I hold on to the belief that the Legacy is an amazing, fast, and beautiful airplane that just demands some unique handling and discipline beyond the typical personal airplane to fly it safely... 

 

Valin Thorn

Legacy Project

Boulder, Colorado

 

 

 

Lancair Legacy Accident & Incident Record

 

 

 

 

 

February 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accident Number

Summary Description

Event

Location

Make / Model

Regist.

Fatalities

Total Deaths to Date

Date

Number

34

Stall just after takeoff

10/25/2013

Shepparton, Australia

Lancair Legacy  

VH-ICZ

2

27

33

Stall just after takeoff

9/18/2013

Geraldton, Australia

Lancair Legacy  

VH-ALP

1

25

32

IMC loss of fuel pressure then smoke in cockpit, crashed 4 miles short of airport

3/31/2013

Winston-Salem, NC

Lancair Legacy  

 

2

24

31

Lost control on landing, broke in three pieces

5/1/2012

Animas Airpark,
Durango, CO

Campbell Lancair Legacy

N12KX

0

22

30

Training flight, crashed into terrain, cause unknown

3/10/2012

Sao Paulo Brazil

Lancair Legacy  

PT-ZZR

2

22

29

Collision with power lines 25 ft high, 1.2 miles from departure runway in night VMC.

3/1/2012

Belen, NM

Hemp Lancair Legacy

N273TE  

2

20

28

Bounced landing, ran off runway, substantial damage

10/5/2011

KPLK, Bransom, MO

Evans Lancair Legacy

N92SX

0

18

27

Impacted snow covered mountain at 6500 ft MSL in VMC under unknown circumstances, 78 yr old pilot

5/18/2011

Pioneer, CA

Cameron Lancair Legacy

N121J

1

18

26

Unnecessary forced landing, crashed 3 miles short of runway.  Ran left tank dry but right tank full of fuel, selector found in wreckage set for left tank.

5/6/2011

Richlands, NC

Peter Hebert Lancair Legacy

N23PH

2

17

25

Early morning night landing at Kansas City Int'l, landed in grass between taxi ways and struck airport sign, substantial damage

5/2/2011

Kanasa City, MO

Prichard Lancair Legacy

N50KP

0

15

24

Nose gear collapse on landing, minor damage

2/6/2011

San Jose Airport, CA

Bereznak Lancair Legacy

N817CB

0

15

23

Deice sys failure, ice on aircraft, left wing dipped abruptly on landing, gear collapsed, substantial damage

12/25/2010

Oakland/Troy Airport, MI

Bowers Harbor Legacy

N384AS

0

15

22

Engine failure, forced landing, pax injured

9/12/2010

Okahandja, Namibia

Onderstall Lancair Legacy

ZU-FCY

0

15

21

Take off in squall conditions with 20 kt crosswind gusting to 32 kts, substantial damage

6/25/2010

Burns, OR

Meyer Lancair Legacy

N29MM

0

15

20

Engine failure from oil starvation, stall crash on forced landing

11/21/2009

Watsonville, CA

Budd Lancair Legacy

N7JX

1

15

19

Pilot reports very difficult aircraft pitch control from open canopy on takeoff, crash landed short of runway returning to land

2/6/2009

Longmont, CO

Lancair Legacy  

N939CB

0

14

18

Ran off end of runway on hot/fast landing, runway 5841 ft long

11/2/2008  

Socorro, NM  

Hemp Lancair Legacy

N273TE  

0

14

17

Takeoff without canopy latched.  Pilot likely impaired by pain med's and obstructive sleep apnea.

10/18/2008  

Parowan, UT  

Heisler Lancair Legacy  

N151HT  

1

14

16

Stall at low altitude on final at Oshkosh AirVenture

7/31/2008  

OSHKOSH, WI

Moser Lancair Legacy FG

N515RB  

2

13

15

Engine mechanical failure, forced landing short of runway, sheared off main wheels, failed connecting rod not from engine OEM

6/8/2008  

Bend, OR  

Lancair Prototype Legacy 2000  

N199L  

0

11

14

Fuel exhaustion during touch and go practice, stall/spin at low altitude on aggressive turn toward runway

5/30/2008  

Murrieta, CA  

Poulin L/Cullen D Lancair Legacy  FG

N109DC  

2

11

13

Stall, crash on takeoff.  Distracted, challenged by open canopy on take off

4/13/2008  

Lakeland, FL  

Dayon Thomas Lancair Legacy  

N1177M  

1

9

12

Smoke in cockpit, possible fire onboard, forced landing in rocky terrain

4/1/2008

Krugersdorp Game Reserve, South Africa

Lancair Legacy  

ZU-EFC

1

8

11

Aircraft veered off course after missed ILS approach crashing on road 4500 ft from approach end of runway

2/16/2008

Portland, OR

Legacy FG

 

1

7

10

Engine failure on first flight, possible cause mixture control attachment loose

4/14/2007  

Fulton, NY  

Romeo Lancair Legacy RG  

N45FR  

2

6

9

Take off with canopy unlatched, lost control, severe crash and injuries

8/26/2005

Ems, Austria

Hohenemser Lancair Legacy

N345MW

0

4

8

Stall spin, factory Legacy FG

8/15/2005  

Madras, OR  

Lancair Legacy FG Prototype

N359L  

2

4

7

Fuel exhaustion, forced landing, mis-calibrated fuel sensors

8/14/2005  

Groveland, CA  

Barnes Lancair Legacy  

N508DB  

0

2

6

Engine failure, cause unknown, forced landing in rocky field, landing gear separated, post-crash fire destroyed airplane

5/1/2005  

Nacogdoches, TX  

Lancair Legacy  

N204RH  

0

2

5

Gear not extended for landing

4/8/2005  

Bend, OR  

Shannon Lancair Legacy

N115YP  

0

2

4

Wing skin on upper left stub wing separated in flight, landed safely, examination showed poor bond

9/12/2004

Cambridge, OH

Lancair Legacy  

 

0

2

3

Engine failure with continuous warning signs months before total failure.  Super-charged engine.  Engine tear down showed one piston burned through and other heat damage.  Landing options overflown. Crashed in city.

8/1/2004  

Madison, WI  

Knoepflein Lancair Legacy

N98SN  

1

2

2

Flew into Level 4 & 5 thunderstorms with ATC assistance

4/23/2004  

Oakland, TN  

Durr Lancair Legacy  

N511WD  

1

1

1

Takeoff with pitot covered, takeoff aborted, ran off end of 2600 ft runway, substantial damage

9/19/2003  

Kimberling City, MO  

Brice Lancair Legacy  

N27RM  

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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