Accident Overview
On March 1, 2012, at approximately 0535 mountain standard time, an experimental Lancair Legacy 2000, registration N273TE, was destroyed when it struck power lines and impacted the ground after departing from Alexander Municipal Airport (E80) in Belen, New Mexico. The two occupants, the pilot and a pilot-rated passenger, sustained fatal injuries. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the Part 91 personal flight. The intended destination was Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona.
PNM Power Company of Albuquerque recorded a voltage spike at 0535 on a three-phase power line south of the airport. Company personnel dispatched to identify the problem found three primary power lines cut and the lower common line separated, along with scattered wreckage of the airplane. No radio distress calls were reported from the aircraft after takeoff, and no eyewitnesses were present. Local fixed-base operator (FBO) personnel indicated the flight was being conducted for maintenance and calibration of the fuel system.
Personnel Information
The pilot had approximately 1,013 hours of flight time, as reported on his most recent FAA third-class medical certificate dated September 28, 2011. He held a Commercial Pilot Certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, instrument, flight instructor, and ground instructor. According to a friend, he had about 46 hours in the accident airplane. The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were friends and reportedly always flew together because the pilot-rated passenger did not have a valid medical certificate. The pilot's medical certificate had restrictions: "Must Wear Corrective Lenses" and "Limited to Daytime Flight Only" due to color vision limitations.
The pilot-rated passenger held a Private Pilot Certificate with airplane single-engine land and airframe and powerplant mechanic ratings, with a restriction for night flight. His reported flight experience was 750 total hours as of his last FAA medical application on August 4, 2009, which was denied for medical conditions. It is unknown whether the pilot or the pilot-rated passenger was at the controls at the time of the accident.
Aircraft Information
The 2005 model Lancair Legacy 2000 was powered by a Continental IO-550-N engine. Records for the airframe and engine were not found. Local FBO personnel reported that the airplane was well maintained and had accumulated approximately 154 total flight hours.
Wreckage and Impact
Evidence at the accident site showed that the airplane struck 25-foot-high power lines about 1.2 miles west of the departure end of runway 21. The first ground impact mark was found about 900 feet beyond the damaged power lines, with debris scattered for approximately 500 feet on an approximate heading of 020 degrees magnetic. The power lines, a main source for the area, were repaired before the arrival of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators.
The airplane was severely fragmented, limiting on-scene documentation. The wreckage debris path, extending over 900 feet from initial power line contact, was consistent with a high-velocity impact. Examination of the engine revealed no pre-existing mechanical anomalies. Flight control continuity was confirmed to all surfaces, and separations of cables, rods, and bellcranks showed signatures of overload due to impact forces.
The three-bladed propeller assembly separated from the engine. The crankshaft exhibited torsional separation just aft of the propeller flange. All three blades remained secured in the hub: one blade was buckled longitudinally with moderate torsional twisting, a second blade showed some torsional twisting, and the third blade was relatively undamaged.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies were performed on both occupants, and no preexisting medical conditions were identified that may have contributed to the accident. Toxicology tests for both individuals were negative.