- Date
- June 30, 2025, 11:11 local (17:11 UTC)
- Place
- Alpine, WY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N124GHLancair IV
- Defining event
- Approach: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 15, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20250630011419A
- Case key
- 200474
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of visual reference during the landing approach which resulted in a collision with water.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was landing the airplane at an airport that was located on a lake peninsula. He reported that during the landing approach, he misjudged his altitude over the water, and the airplane struck the water short of the runway threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), nor did he respond to a follow up request for an interview. His account of the accident was provided directly to law enforcement personnel shortly after accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N124GH
- Reported as
- Lancair IV
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- LIV-115
- Built
- 1996
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-550, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- EVW · Evanston, WY
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 46U · Alpine, runway 13/31, 5,827 × 70 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- KAFO, 29 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KAFO 301715Z AUTO 32004KT 10SM CLR 22/06 A3031 RMK AO2=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 15, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N124GH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.