# NTSB ERA26LA055: Perry William Lancair IV P, N163BR, Savannah, GA, November 14, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report - Date: November 13, 2025, 19:49 local (Nov 14, 2025, 00:49 UTC) - Place: Savannah, GA · Bacon Park Golf Course - Coordinates: 32.008889, -81.086194 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0089&lon=-81.0862&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: TSBC, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202061 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA055 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202061/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA055 ## Preliminary report On November 13, 2025, at 1949 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Lancair IV-P, N163BR, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Savannah, Georgia. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot reported that he had conducted three flights in the same airplane that day. On the first flight, he departed Beaver County Airport (BVI), Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, at 0814 with a destination of Norwood Memorial Airport (OWD), Norwood, Massachusetts, to pick up a relative. The pilot then flew from OWD to Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York. The third flight was from FRG to Wallace-Pender Airport (ACZ), Wallace, North Carolina, which was a planned fuel stop. The fourth, and final, flight departed ACZ at 1843 with an intended destination of Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), Sarasota, Florida. The pilot stated that after departing ACZ while cruising at 16,500 ft mean sea level (msl), with an interstage turbine temperature (ITT) about 688°C, that there was a “loud boom/explosion from the engine with sparks flying” and a loss of engine power. The pilot stated that the engine continued to provide idle power. He then declared an emergency with air traffic control and diverted to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), Savannah, Georgia. The pilot soon noticed “sparks started flying out of the exhaust manifold, along with loud grinding noises” and elected to perform a precautionary shutdown of the engine. After shutting down the engine, the pilot observed a considerable increase in drag on the airplane. He adjusted airplane’s pitch attitude for the best glide speed and diverted to Hunter Army Airfield (SVN), Savannah, Georgia, which was closer than SAV. He soon realized that it was not possible to glide to and land at SVN, so he maneuvered to a dark area, with the expectation that it would not be a populated area with buildings, and deployed the airplane’s ballistic parachute. About 5 to 7 seconds after the parachute deployed, the pilot stated the airplane touched down on a golf course. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noticed smoke coming from the engine. Postaccident examination of the wreckage at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that there were metal shards and oil in the engine’s exhaust pipes of the engine, and substantial damage to the fuselage and wings of the airframe. After the engine cowling was removed, punctures and impressions were observed in the engine enclosure, consistent with material being ejected from inside the engine. The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Perry William LANCAIR IV P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05628OT), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N163BR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N163BR), registered now, S/N 2007, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PERRY WILLIAM LANCAIR IV P - Registry model: [Perry William LANCAIR IV P](https://openairdocs.org/model/perry-william-lancair-iv-p) (registry code 05628OT) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 2007 - Year built: 2009 - Airframe hours: 334.2 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Matpro Service Corporation - Registered owner: Rijan Realty Holdings Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 2, 2025, 66 hours before - Departed: ACZ, Wallace, NC - Destination: SRQ, Sarasota/Bradenton, FL - Airport: SVN, Hunter Aaf - Equipment: Airframe parachute, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 160° at 1 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 48 °F - Observed at: SVN, 2 nm away - METAR: SPECI KSVN 140053Z 16001KT 10SM CLR 14/09 RMK AO2A SLP207 T01300100 ## 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 20251113020849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251113020849A), Nov 13, 2025: Perry William LANCAIR IV P, Savannah, GA, Substantial damage. The PIC stated that while in cruise flight at approximately 16,500 feet, he observed the sound of an explosion from the engine followed by sparks out of the… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.