Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Cook Canyon Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ranger, Texas 76470
Saturday, August 16, 2014 23:25 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On August 16, 2014, about 2325 central daylight time, a Lancair LC40-550FG, N6500Z, impacted terrain after departing the Cook Canyon Ranch Airport (TA25), Ranger, Texas. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was registered to and operated by River Bend Energy, LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which departed without a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
Two witnesses at the TA25 ramp stated the airplane departed from Runway 35 and began a right turn towards the east. The right turn increased to a "knife edge" bank angle and then both witnesses noticed the airplane's navigation lights become vertically aligned. The aircraft subsequently descended toward the ground and out of their sight.
The wreckage was located 0.4 miles northeast of the departure end of Runway 35. The point of initial impact was on a gravel road and the wreckage debris path was oriented southeast, with the main wreckage about 180 feet from the initial impact.
At 2325 the weather observation station at TA25 reported the following conditions: wind 100 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 30 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 16 degrees C, altimeter setting 29.94 inches of mercury.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/16/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2325 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ranger |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76470 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 322639N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0983529W |
| Event Location Airport | Cook Canyon Ranch |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TA25 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 40 |
| Airport Elevation | 1476 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2325 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 220 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TA25 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1476 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KSEP 170415Z AUTO 14006KT 10SM SCT110 31/14 |
| 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) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | Federal Aviation Administratio |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 19 2014 6:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | folm |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6500Z |
| NTSB Number | CEN14FA437 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LANCAIR COMPANY |
| Aircraft Model | LC 40 550FG |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 40040 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RIVER BEND ENERGY LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | ARLINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 760112623 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | RIVER BEND ENERGY LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | ARLINGTON |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 760112623 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TA25 |
| Departure City | Ranger |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2325 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 19 2014 6:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | folm |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 5500 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |