# NTSB ERA26LA219: Rainbow Cheetah XLS, N146RC, Knightdale, NC, May 27, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report - Date: May 27, 2026, 14:20 local (18:20 UTC) - Place: Knightdale, NC - Coordinates: 35.797722, -78.43701 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7977&lon=-78.4370&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 203069 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA219 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203069/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA219 ## Preliminary report On May 27, 2026, about 1420 eastern daylight time, a special light sport Rainbow Cheetah XLS airplane, N146RC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Knightdale, North Carolina. The flight instructor and student pilot were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that he was the pilot in command of the accident flight. He was conducting an introductory flight for a prospective student pilot and planned to demonstrate several maneuvers. The flight departed Cox Airport (NC81), Apex, North Carolina, with 15 gallons of fuel, destined for Raleigh East Airport (W17), Knightdale, North Carolina, for a low approach followed by touch-and-go landings. Upon arrival at W17 the flight instructor entered the airport traffic pattern, turned from the base leg to final approach, and aligned with the runway. He flew the airplane about 3 ft above the runway’s surface and down its entire length before adding power to initiate a climb. As he added power, the engine began to “sputter”, so he reduced power and the engine stabilized and ran normal at a lower rpm setting. He added power again and the engine sputtered, so he reduced the power a second time. Realizing the airplane could not outclimb trees ahead, he turned right towards an open field. He attempted to add power several times; however, each time the engine would sputter. Unable to reach the field, he attempted to fly between a tree and a parked semi-trailer. The airplane struck the trailer and tree, fell about 30 ft and impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. The right wing separated from the fuselage, and the left wing’s leading edge was damaged. The engine was displaced upward due to impact with the ground. The wreckage was retained for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Rainbow CHEETAH XLS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=0600061), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Rainbow CHEETAH XLS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=0600061), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Rainbow CHEETAH XLS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0600061), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N146RC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N146RC), registered now, S/N CH090, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RAINBOW AIRCRAFT (PTY) LTD CHEETAH XLS - Registry model: [Rainbow CHEETAH XLS](https://openairdocs.org/model/rainbow-cheetah-xls) (registry code 0600061) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Jabiru 2200](https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-2200) (registry code 34800, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CH090 - Year built: 2009 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 31, 2026 - Departed: NC81, Raleigh, NC - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: W17, Raleigh East, runway 1, 3,000 × 36 ft, asphalt ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: LHZ, 14 nm away - METAR: METAR KLHZ 271755Z AUTO 25004KT 10SM SCT024 SCT036 27/21 A3004 RMK AO2 ## 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 20260527011119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260527011119A), May 27, 2026: Rainbow Aircraft (Pty) Ltd CHEETAH XLS, Knightdale, NC, Destroyed. (Incident summary) On Wednesday, may 27, 2026, at approximately 11:00 am EDT, pilot [privacy data omitted] and passenger [privacy data omitted] arrived at cox… 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.