This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N49BX
- Hitstory of Flight:
On July 30, 2025, at about 1046 local time, a Lancair IVP, N49BX, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Indy South Greenwood Airport (HFY/KHFY), Greenwood, Indiana. The aircraft was registered to, and being operated by the airline transport pilot, who sustained fatal injuries. The Part 91 personal flight was originating at the time, and was destined to an unknown airport in Pennsylvania (at the time of this writing).
On July 30, 2025, at about 1046 local time, a Lancair IVP, N49BX, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Indy South Greenwood Airport (HFY/KHFY), Greenwood, Indiana. The aircraft was registered to, and being operated by the airline transport pilot, who sustained fatal injuries. The Part 91 personal flight was originating at the time, and was destined to an unknown airport in Pennsylvania (at the time of this writing).
On July 27, 2025, the pilot departed Oshkosh-Wittman Field (OSH/KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on a round-the-world solo trip. The airplane landed at Greenwood, and remained parked until the accident flight.
According to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, at 1045:34, the airplane was seen departing runway 19 at KHFY. The airplane was approximately 3600 ft down (the 5100 ft runway) and 150 ft to the left side of the runway over the grass and climbing at 98 knots groundspeed.
The airplane continued the shallow left climb. At 1045:54, the airplane was observed at 1000 ft, 111 knots groundspeed, but was now showing descending vertical climb rate. At 1045:58, the airplane entered an "aggressive" left hand turn, and was now showing a positive vertical climb rate and losing (ground) speed. At 1046:04, the airplane was observed at 1150 ft, 93 knots, and climbing 1300 fpm. At 1046:05, the airplane was at 1175 knots, 91 knots, and climbing 1800 fpm. At 1046:08, the airplane was observed at 1200 ft, 65 knots groundspeed, and descending -768 fpm. The last ADS-B data return was recorded at 1046:10, the airplane was at 1150 ft, 34 knots groundspeed, and descending -2800 fpm. (figure 1)
Figure 1: ADS-B Exchange Data with Google Earth
One witness stated that "The plane was kind of banking and they started to lower and then pulled up and started to roll, and I thought it’s like a sky show and they went straight into the ground.”
Another witness stated "She was banking hard left to go north, and all of the sudden, the nose dove and she went into a spin and just went straight down."
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The airplane impacted a grassy ditch behind a gas station located about 0.70 mile from the departure end of runway 19. The main wreckage consisted of the entire airplane, which was orientated on a 300° magnetic heading. The wreckage was in an upright position, and there was a very small appreciable wreckage debris path. There was no post crash fire.
The engine remained partially attached to its engine mounts and the firewall. The propeller remained attached to the engine propeller flange. Two propeller blades remained attached to the hub assembly (the third blade was not visible in online photographs but was most likely somewhere in the path debris).
The left wing was impact damaged and destroyed during the accident. The outer right wing was impact damaged and separated, but a portion of the inner right wing remained attached to the fuselage. The fuselage (including the pilot/passenger cabin) remained intact. The tail was severed by impact forces.
The start of the debris path included parts from both wings and landing gear which lead to the main wreckage (figure 2). The impact appears consistent with a low altitude aerodynamic stall/spin with little to no forward speed.
Figure 2
- Pilot Info:
The certificated airline transport pilot, age 44, held an airline transport pilot certificate, with a rating for airplane multi-engine land aircraft (with a most recent issue/update date of issued on October 4, 2023). She held a commercial pilot certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. The pilot also held a flight instructor certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine and mulit-engine, and instrument airplane, issued/updated on August 31, 2024. The pilot's first class FAA medical was issued on February 2025, with a note about wearing corrective lenses to meet vision standards at all required distances.
The certificated airline transport pilot, age 44, held an airline transport pilot certificate, with a rating for airplane multi-engine land aircraft (with a most recent issue/update date of issued on October 4, 2023). She held a commercial pilot certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. The pilot also held a flight instructor certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine and mulit-engine, and instrument airplane, issued/updated on August 31, 2024. The pilot's first class FAA medical was issued on February 2025, with a note about wearing corrective lenses to meet vision standards at all required distances.
The pilot held a type rating in the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 aircraft (subject to pilot-in-command limitations).
- Aircraft Info:
The accident aircraft, MSN LIV-465, was manufactured in 2005. It was a 4-seat, pressurized, low-wing airplane equipped with a retractable tricycle landing gear, electrically actuated wing flaps, and a single reciprocating engine with a constant speed propeller. The airframe was constructed of high temperature, epoxy prepreg, carbon fiber materials.
The accident aircraft, MSN LIV-465, was manufactured in 2005. It was a 4-seat, pressurized, low-wing airplane equipped with a retractable tricycle landing gear, electrically actuated wing flaps, and a single reciprocating engine with a constant speed propeller. The airframe was constructed of high temperature, epoxy prepreg, carbon fiber materials.
The airplane was equipped with a Continental TSIO-550-E engine which drove a three-bladed Hartzell propeller.
- Airport Information:
KHFY is a non-towered public airport located about 10 miles southeast of Indianapolis, Indiana. It features a single asphalt/grooved runway 1/19 which is 5102 x 75 ft. The airport elevation was 822 ft.
- Weather:
The nearest airport, KIND, reported the following conditions:
The nearest airport, KIND, reported the following conditions:
METAR KIND 301354Z 00000KT 10SM FEW010 BKN250 28/22 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP180 FU FEW010 T02780222
METAR KIND 301454Z 00000KT 10SM FEW030 SCT250 30/23 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP182 T03000228 53006
- Additional Information:
The pilot was the 10th woman to fly solo around the world.
Sad story, a loss of a fellow Boilermaker and pilot.
ReplyDeleteFirst time coming across your blog. Thank you for all your research. This will be a go to for me for these types of stories.
Looking at the photo it doesn’t appear the propeller was turning at the time of impact.
ReplyDeletePilot is known to me. Every time I saw that airplane arrive at air shows, her husband was at the controls. She had a history of struggling to pass check rides and did not complete the Lancair training syllabus (and was not a “Lancair Instructor” although was often listed as an instructor in the Lancair; insurance companies would not accept her training for insurance purposes as recently as 2 years ago when I became less active in the Lancair community). This is a tragedy, but a widely predicted tragedy. She was a lovely young lady, just refused to recognize her personal skill set limitations. My condolences to her husband and family.
ReplyDeleteAnd as Dirty Harry said, "A (wo)man has got to know his (her) limitations!"
DeleteStruggled to pass Lancair/SEP check rides, but held ATP license and type-rated in B757 and B767 "heavies"...??? Something NOT adding up... has DEI actually gone THAT far "off the reservation"??
ReplyDeleteWeight and Balance, it gets every pilot that is exposed to the condition. She was in a plastic aircraft that is built with a weight problem and a tail-heavy ass. I am an old pilot, and I will never fly in a plastic airplane because of this design issue. The young lady was capable, but the aircraft was going to clime until stall speed was reached because of loss of elevator control. Plastic airplanes, flying wings and aircraft overloaded to aft limits will all have unstable directional flight behavior. It has been the end of many good pilots.
ReplyDeleteErnie
DeleteSo you're never going to fly in a cirrus because it's "plastic". K
DeleteI call BS on the third comment. Facts about the pilot strongly indicate more than capable flying proficiency, including a round-the-world solo flight in 2024, and earning AOPA CFI of the Year awards twice, yes twice. Everyone is capable of mistakes, but this kind of character assassination is offensive when the pilot just lost her life.
ReplyDeleteExcept everything in that third comment appears to be true, as read in several other sources as well.
DeleteCan you list the sources? I've had complaints about that one specific comment.
DeleteAdam
The claim that she completed a round-the-world flight in 2024 is contradicted in her bio for her organization: https://awa2.org/her-story
Deletehttps://www.instagram.com/p/CKXUYgRhV9q/?igsh=MTExanhld3lpdnJrOA==
ReplyDeleteWhere is the baggage hatch?
ReplyDelete