# NTSB ERA26LA254: Rath Michael J Sonerai 2, N1406, Cynthiana, KY, June 30, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: June 30, 2026, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place: Cynthiana, KY · open field
- Coordinates: 38.365075, -84.295454 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3651&lon=-84.2955&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: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203284
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA254
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203284/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA254

## Preliminary report

On June 30, 2026, at about 1030 eastern daylight time, an experimental Sonerai 2 airplane, N1406, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cynthiana, Kentucky. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to perform local air work in the traffic pattern. There were no anomalies noted during the preflight inspection, engine run-up, or subsequent takeoff. The airplane departed with 10 gallons of fuel. About 25 minutes into the flight, after completing two touch-and-go-landings, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power while transitioning to the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot was unable to restore engine power and performed a forced landing to a field west of the airport. During the landing roll, the landing gear separated and the fuselage impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. Following the landing, the airplane’s lithium battery caught fire and consumed most of the fuselage. 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: [Rath Michael J SONERAI 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05642CG), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Rath Michael J SONERAI 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05642CG), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Rath Michael J SONERAI 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05642CG), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1406](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1406), registered now, S/N 01627LT (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RATH MICHAEL J SONERAI 2
- Registry model: [Rath Michael J SONERAI 2](https://openairdocs.org/model/rath-michael-j-sonerai-2) (registry code 05642CG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 01627LT
- Year built: 2025
- Airframe hours: 12.9
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, October 6, 2025, 14.5 hours before
- Departed: 0I8, Cynthiana, KY
- Airport: 0I8, Cynthiana-Harrison County Airport, runway 29, 3,850 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observed at: LEX, 25 nm away
- METAR: METAR KLEX 301354Z 29007KT 10SM CLR 29/23 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP201 T02890233 $

## 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 20260630010299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260630010299A), Jun 30, 2026: Rath Michael J SONERAI 2, Cynthiana, KY, Destroyed. According to the pilot, while performing touch and go maneuvers on June 30, 2026, the aircraft experienced a partial engine power loss following the second…

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.