Lancair LC41-550FG N400WX

Summary

On 23 February 2006 at about 04:35 local time, a Lancair LC41-550FG registered N400WX, operated by Richard Potter, was involved in an accident near Stafford, Virginia, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 February 2006 at 04:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Stafford, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Stafford Regional Airport (RMN)

Coordinates

38.4003, -77.4628

Aircraft

Lancair LC41-550FG

Registration

N400WX

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard Potter

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Winston-Salem → Stafford

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC06FA072

4 people died.

The pilot's failure to execute the published missed approach. Factors included the night lighting conditions, low ceilings and fog.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot attempted a night Global Positioning System (GPS) instrument approach to an airport, but executed a missed approach. He subsequently requested, and flew an ILS approach to another airport. Radar and transponder returns confirmed the airplane flew the localizer course down to about 200 feet above ground level (agl). Weather, about the time of the accident, included calm winds, 1 1/4 statute miles visibility, light drizzle, and an overcast ceiling 500 feet agl. There were no witnesses to the accident; however, when a passenger's wife arrived at the airport minutes later, she noted "spots" of fog and a fog layer above her. She later noted that a police cruiser with flashing lights was lost in the fog when it drove out on the tarmac. The airplane's wreckage was located in a wooded area, about 300 yards left of the runway, 3/4 of the way down its 5,000-foot length. Tree cuts were consistent with the airplane having been in a 30-degree left turn. The missed approach procedure was to climb to 600 feet above mean sea level (400 feet agl), then make a climbing left turn to 2,000 feet, direct to a VORTAC and hold. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.