Lancair NLA-275-FR-C Super Barracuda, N345LA, fatal accident occurred on August 18, 2025, near Bradley, Arkansas

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=N345LA

Five Lima Alpha LLC

On August 18, 2025, at about 2133 local time, a Lancair NLA-275-FR-C Super Barracuda, N345LA, registered to Five Lima Alpha LLC out of Ooltewah, Tennessee, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Bradley, Arkansas. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The cross-country Part 91 personal flight originated from Lakeway Airpark (3R9), Austin, Texas, and was destined to Ooltewah, Tennessee.

According to preliminary automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, at 2211 LT, the airplane departed 3R9 and entered a climbing left turn to an inflight cruising altitude of 9,500 ft. The airplane flew northeast and data suggests the autopilot was turned on about 3 minutes after takeoff. At about 2108 LT, the airplane was on a flight track of 29.5° when it climbed to an altitude of 11450 ft, in what appeared to be a way to avoid some weather activity near Gilmer, Texas. At about 2115 LT, the airplane conducted a right turn towards and was now on a 75° track heading. At about 2125:50, the airplane flew into/through weather activity that was present over the Texas/Arkansas/Louisiana state line. At 2127:18, the airplane's altitude hold was turned off and it climbed to an altitude of 13000 ft. At 2129:27, data suggests the autopilot was turned off, and at the same time, the airplane entered a 1350 feet per minute (fpm) average descent rate. At 2130:45, the airplane was at 11675 ft, 105 knots, when it stopped the descent and the autopilot was turned on again. At 2131:12, the airplane started to descend again. At 2132:19, data suggests the autopilot and altitude hold were on at the same time as the airplane began climbing again. However, 5 seconds later, at 2132:24, the autopilot was turned off. 5 seconds later, at 2132:29, the airplane was at 11300 ft, 156 knots groundspeed, and descending -5440 feet per minute (fpm). At this point, the airplane entered a right hand descending spiral. The last data point was recorded at the conclusion of the spiral at 2133:08. The airplane was at 2525 ft, 148 knots groundspeed, and descending -20000 fpm.

Figure 1: ADS-B Exchange data ran through Flysto

Figure 2: End of track, note right hand spiral

The airplane was located in a remote wooded area. There were no known witnesses to the accident (at the time of writing).

- Pilot Information:

The pilot, aged 54, held a private pilot certificate, with a most recent issue/update date of 3/26/2025, with a rating for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and an instrument rating. His most recent third class FAA medical was issued on December 2024, with a note about wearing corrective lens(es) to meet vision standards at all required distances.

- Aircraft Information:

The accident aircraft, serial number 1004, was manufactured in 2021. It featured a two-seat configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, a cantilever low-wing, and a fully retractable tricycle landing gear. The airframe was constructed of composite material, including e-glass, carbon fiber with a Nomex honeycomb core. The airplane was equipped with a 6-cylinder Continental TSIO-550-N engine which drove a three-bladed Hartzell propeller.

According to a sale listing by Lancair, the airplane featured a Lancair Cumulus Panel Package, which includes:

• Dual Garmin G3X Touch 10.6” displays
• Dual GSU-25 ADAHRS units
• GEA-24 engine indication system (EIS) with sensors
• GMC-507 2-axis Autopilot with yaw damper
• Heated Pitot / AOA probe
• GMA-245 Remote Audio Panel
• GTN-750xi GPS/Nav/Com
• GTR-20 Remote Com
• GTX-45 remote Transponder with ADS-B In & Out
• 406 mhz ELT
• CO detector
• custom engraved instrument panel
• LED Glareshield light strip
• antennas, switches, power conditioners and jacks

For more information about the accident aircraft, visit https://lancair.com/for-sale/2021-lancair-barracuda-n345la/

- Wreckage and Impact Information:

unknown

- Weather:

(1) METARs:

METAR KTXK 190153Z 06003KT 10SM FEW075 33/24 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP135 T03330239

METAR KTXK 190253Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT080 32/24 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP140 T03170239 53011

METAR KAGO 190155Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 31/23 A2993 RMK A01

METAR KAGO 190215Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 30/23 A2994 RMK A01

METAR KAGO 190235Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM CLR 31/23 A2995 RMK A01

METAR KAGO 190255Z AUTO 16005KT 10SM BKN070 31/23 A2996 RMK A01

(2) Area Forecast Discussion:

According to the NWS AFD for Shreveport LA (the closest location to Bradley), issued on 645 PM CDT Mon Aug 18 2025:

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 1253 PM CDT Mon Aug 18 2025

 - Intense mid to late August heat will persist across the region
   and maintain heat headlines through the middle of this week.

 - Some slight heat relief is expected to arrive late this week by
   way of a rare August cool front and increasing thunderstorms.

 - The break in the heat appears to be brief as the upper-level
   ridge axis out west will begin to expand back eastward this
   weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1253 PM CDT Mon Aug 18 2025

This extended streak of above average August heat will continue
to dominate the weather headlines through mid week as the strength
of the upper-level ridge axis holds serve for a few more days. The
only short-term heat relief will be in the form of very isolated
to widely scattered showers and thunderstorms, diurnally driven in
nature and largely oriented around the eastern periphery of the
ridge axis with better coverage near the coast and northward into
our far southern and eastern zones. Aside from this low potential,
there isn`t anything to quell the heat as high temperatures will
surge into the upper 90s to lower triple digits once again on
Tuesday. Therefore, it goes without saying the Heat Advisory has
been extended through Tuesday at 8 PM with isolated instances of
max heat indices topping 110 degrees in our more urban locations
but not widespread enough to warrant an upgrade to an Extreme Heat
Warning.

Moving into Wednesday, expect to see the upper ridge retrograde
farther west and center itself out over the Four Corners Region.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Erin will begin to accelerate her northward
turn up the eastern seaboard but still well off the SE coast. In
between the ridge to our west and Erin churning in the Atlantic, a
rare summer cool front will be slowly advancing southward into the
Mid-South and eventually arrive in our northern zones late in the
day. Compressional warming ahead of the boundary will likely push
high temperatures into the upper 90s for most locations so heat
headlines may very well be extended through Wednesday afternoon
before relief finally arrives with the front.

Frontal forcing combined with the strong diurnal heating will
contribute to greater coverage of convection across our region,
especially by late Wednesday afternoon into the evening hours as
the front shifts south toward I-20. Expect these elevated rain
chances to persist through at least Thursday for all areas before
becoming largely confined to areas south of I-20 by Friday and on
through this weekend. By then, the heat should begin to ratchet
up once again with more typical summertime conditions returning
for late August.

/19/

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 636 PM CDT Mon Aug 18 2025

For the 19/00z TAF update...Radar imagery is showing quite a few
showers and thunderstorms across far east Texas and central/north
Louisiana this evening. The only airport to take a direct impact
so far has been KMLU where some limited visibility with heavy
rainfall is occurring and will continue for the next hour or so
before coming to an end there. The rest of the terminals continue
to maintain VCTS at least through 19/02z but the confidence of any
other terminals seeing anything thunderstorms move directly
overhead is lower. As mentioned and as we have seen the past few
days, all this activity should come to an end in the next few
hours as we lose our daytime heating. There are a number of
outflow boundaries on radar that could impact the wind direction
and speeds at times through the rest of the evening, but these
impacts should be minimal. Otherwise, some lower clouds around 5k
feet tonight with some BR possible for KLFK towards morning. /33/

According to the NWS AFD for Little Rock, Arkansas, issued on 611 PM CDT Mon Aug 18 2025:

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 1225 AM CDT Mon Aug 18 2025

-Dangerous heat will persist across the state for another couple
 days before some relief is seen.

-Isolated showers/storms are possible again today, with
 microbursts possibly producing strong wind gusts in a few storms.

-Rainfall may be a little more widespread Tue-Wed as a cold front
 moves across the state.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1225 AM CDT Mon Aug 18 2025

Another day of dangerous heat is expected across the state and
heat headlines have been expanded to include extreme heat warnings
for portions of eastern, central and western Arkansas. High
temperatures on Sunday were fairly extreme in nature, with KRUE
hitting 106 F for an afternoon high. Many other reporting stations
hit the century mark as well. These numbers were close to
yesterday`s NBM90 values and utilized some of that data to
forecast today`s high temperatures.

Isolated showers/storms possible once again today, mainly during
the afternoon/evening hours. Main concerns will again be
microbursts that could produce very localized wind damage, as well
as a few heavy downpours.

H500 ridging will begin to expand west across the western CONUS
over the next few days which will provide mid-level NW/N flow
across the region. This will help push a cold front through and
as the front moves across the area, precip may become a bit more
widespread. Will have to watch for isolated severe storms given
the heat and associated extreme instability in place near the
boundary.

Some areas could begin to see relief on Tuesday with more of the
state expected to see cooler temps by Wed-Thu. Will monitor latest
trends to see if/where heat headlines are needed over the next
couple days.

Will continue to see temperatures closer to normal through the
upcoming weekend with a break in heat headlines possible for
several days. Another front may move across the state by early
next week which could provide below normal temperatures for late
August across Arkansas.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 541 PM CDT Mon Aug 18 2025

Single cell convection currently affecting western sections of the
forecast area will end shortly after sunset. Any convection that
developS after 18z will be more isolated in nature than that of
today.

- Additional Information:

no