# NTSB ERA25LA277: Mangels Leighton LANCAIR360, N50LM, Hardinsburg, KY, July 24, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: July 24, 2025, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place: Hardinsburg, KY · @1500ft short of runway 10
- Coordinates: 37.786015, -86.452395 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7860&lon=-86.4524&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200641
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA277
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200641/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA277

## Preliminary report

On July 24, 2025, about 1000 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Lancair 360, N50LM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hardinsburg, Kentucky. The pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot said he departed Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, about 0715, and flew to DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport (DKB), DeKalb, Illinois, with 34 gallons of fuel onboard. The pilot landed in DKB, then taxied back to the runway and departed as a flight of two with a North American Navion, about 0809. Their destination was the Breckenridge Airport (I93), Hardinsburg, Tennessee. The pilot did not purchase fuel in DKB. The pilot said that he followed behind the Navion at an altitude of 7,500 ft. mean sea level (msl) and flew direct to I93. He said he had to reduce his engine’s power setting so as not to overrun the Navion, which was a slower airplane. The pilot said that when he was on short final approach to runway 10 at I93, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. He immediately retracted the landing gear and flaps to extend his glide to the runway. He also attempted to re-start the engine but to no avail. The airplane impacted trees about 1,500 ft. short of the runway threshold, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. There was no post-impact fire. The pilot said his last check of the fuel level onboard was on final approach. He said the fuel totalizer indicated about 6 gallons, which appeared to agree with the sight gauge on the header tank. The airplane wreckage was recovered by the pilot and retained for further examination by the National Transportation Safety Board.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Mangels Leighton LANCAIR360, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05623C9), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N50LM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N50LM-2026-07-11), registration cancelled 2026-07-11, S/N 765, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MANGELS LEIGHTON LANCAIR360
- Registry model: [Mangels Leighton LANCAIR360](https://openairdocs.org/model/mangels-leighton-lancair360) (registry code 05623C9) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-360-A1D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (registry code 41504, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 765
- Year built: 1996
- Airframe hours: 215.9
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, June 6, 2025
- Departed: DKB, DeKalb, IL
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: I93, Breckinridge County Airport, runway 10, 4,000 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observed at: KFTK, 24 nm away
- METAR: SPECI KFTK 241605Z AUTO 24008KT 10SM SCT027 32/25 A3014

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250724018039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250724018039A), Jul 24, 2025: Mangels Leighton LANCAIR360, Hardinsburg, KY, Substantial damage. During arrival, the aircraft has a loss of power and impacted trees resulting in substantial damage. There was no post impact fire or danage to property. Post…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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