Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Falcon Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mesa, Arizona 85215
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 7:09 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Air traffic controllers reported that shortly after takeoff, about the time the landing gear was being retracted, they observed smoke trailing from the airplane. The controller advised the pilot of the smoke, but did not receive a response. Additional witnesses reported that the airplane made an abrupt climbing left turn with the wings rocking back and forth before it nosed down and descended in a near-vertical attitude to ground impact. All flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident site and all airplane components were found in the immediate area of the impact location. Due to fire and thermal damage to the majority of the composite airframe structure, establishment of control continuity was not possible. Teardown inspection of the engine did not disclose any evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction. Investigators were unable to determine the cause or origin of the reported smoke during departure.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during climb out resulting in an aerodynamic stall/spin.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/23/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 709 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Mesa |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85215 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 332653N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1114414W |
| Event Location Airport | Falcon Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FFZ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.95 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1394 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 651 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FFZ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1394 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25129 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA WP Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 23 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 2 2009 1:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA FSDO- Scottsdale |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N25CL |
| NTSB Number | LAX08FA122 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Carlton M. Cadwell |
| Aircraft Model | Lancair IV-P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | LIV-242-SFB-P |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3550 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 3 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 978.2 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Boehle Aviation LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6127 East Beverly Lane |
| Aircraft Owner City | Scottsdale |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85254 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Boehle Aviation LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 6127 East Beverly Lane |
| Operator City | Scottsdale |
| Operator State | AZ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 85254 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FFZ |
| Departure City | MESA |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 709 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SNA |
| Destination City | SANTA ANA |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 2 2009 1:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22L |
| Runway Length | 5101 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |