CEN26FA071

On December 30, 2025, about 1623 central standard time, a Lancair Legacy RG airplane, N618AM, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Fredericksburg, Texas. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A preliminary review of ADS-B data showed that the pilot, who is also the airplane owner and builder, departed in the airplane at 1547 from runway 32 at the Gillespie County Airport (T82), Fredericksburg Texas, for the local area flight. The airplane flew to the west near Harper, Texas, where a maneuver was performed. The airplane then flew to the northwest of Harper, where it performed several maneuvers. After the completion of the maneuvers, the airplane flew to the northeast near Hedwigs Hill, Texas, where it then turned toward the southeast. During the flight toward the southeast, the airplane flew over U.S. Highway 87, the airplane gradually climbed, and its airspeed gradually increased. Near the end of the available ADS-B data, the airplane began to descend, the airspeed decreased, and the ADS-B data terminated about 17.70 miles to the north of T82. The airplane came to rest upright on a remote property, consisting of trees, brush, cactus, and rocks, used for cattle ranching. The area surrounding the accident site consisted of rolling rocky hills. The accident site had an elevation of about 1,720 ft above mean sea level. A postimpact fire consumed the composite airplane and the fire exceeded the planform of the airplane. The airplane was destroyed by the postimpact fire. The wreckage was recovered from the accident site, and it was transported to a secure location. A thermal-damaged Garmin GPSMAP 396 unit was secured and transported to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. The experimental airplane was built from a kit by the pilot in 2009. The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550-N(8) reciprocating engine and a Hartzell Propeller HC-J3YF-1RF/F7391D-3 three-blade controllable pitch aluminum propeller. The pilot held a private pilot certificate (with ratings for airplane single engine land, instrument airplane, and rotorcraft-helicopter), in addition to a repairman experimental aircraft builder certificate for the accident airplane. A preliminary review of meteorological data for the accident flight did not reveal the presence of any turbulence or low-level wind shear.