Saturday, September 05, 2026

Lancair Evolution, N305PV, fatal accident occurred on September 3, 2026, near Tampa Executive Airport (VDF/KVDF), Tampa, Florida

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this writing will be corrected when/if the NTSB preliminary report is released.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N305PV

- History of Flight:
On September 3, 2026, at about 0815 local time, a Lancair Evolution, N305PV, registered to Ekpheugo LLC out of Tampa, FL, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Tampa Executive Airport (VDF/KVDF), Tampa, Florida. The commercial pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The cross-country personal flight originated from VDF and was destined to Elizabeth City Airport (ECG/KECG), 
Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

The rest of the writing will be completed later.

- Pilot Information:
The pilot, aged 59, held a commercial pilot certificate (last issued/updated on 10/15/2016) with an airplane single engine land and sea ratings. He also held an instrument rating. His FAA BasicMed Course was dated 4/25/2025.

- Airplane Information:
Will be written later. 

- Wreckage and Impact Information:
Will be written later. 

- Airport Information:
Will be written later. 

- Weather:
(1) Brief:

At 0815, the winds were from 050 at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, an overcast ceiling at 500ft AGL, temperature 26 °C, dewpoint 26 °C, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury.

(2) METARs:

METAR KVDF 031155Z AUTO 06003KT 10SM OVC004 26/26 A2995 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW CIG 003V005 70003 T02560256 10256 20251 53017 $

METAR KVDF 031215Z AUTO 05004KT 10SM OVC005 26/26 A2996 RMK AO2 T02590259 $ <<<<

METAR KVDF 031235Z AUTO 06006KT 10SM OVC005 26/26 A2997 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW AND E AND S T02610261 $

(3) Area Forecast Discussion:

859
FXUS62 KTBW 030011
AFDTBW

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
811 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2026

...New UPDATE, AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Warm and humid conditions will continue with numerous to
  widespread showers and thunderstorms each day through the week.

- Marginal Risk of Excessive Rainfall mainly in urban areas with the
  higher thunderstorm activity each day through much of the week.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 808 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2026

The most intense thunderstorm activity has transitioned to SWFL and
off the Tampa Bay and Nature Coast into the Gulf. Across much of
West Central Florida, stratiform rain has filled in, and looks to
linger for a couple more hours yet. In SWFL, new thunderstorm
activity continues to occur, and this may continue for another hour
or so yet before beginning to gradually subside in the next 2 to 3
hours as well. It will be hard to sustain it longer than that given
the loss of daytime heating and westward-propagating outflow
boundaries that should further undercut low-level instability.

With the flow expected to shift early tomorrow, it looks like
thunderstorm activity over the Gulf may never quite fully subside
overnight. Shortly after the sun rises, this convection may begin
to push convection back towards the coast, with SWFL likely
seeing the earliest storms tomorrow, followed by the Tampa Bay and
Nature Coast regions late morning and finally the interior by
early afternoon. The earlier initiation may allow for an earlier
cessation near the coast too; but if storms move in early enough,
it could also support a secondary round of convection later in
the day.

Because of the aforementioned setup, a few adjustments to the POPs
and overall weather forecast have been made. Rain chances have been
tweaked for the next few hours, and then increased along the coast,
especially in SWFL, earlier in the day. Haven`t messed with
afternoon POPs much because not quite confident enough to reduce the
rain chances later in the day just yet. That can monitored and
adjusted with the overnight package depending on trends.

Otherwise, the forecast looks good. A fairly typical late summer
pattern continues.


&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 149 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2026

An upper level trough off the east coast it helping to fuel extra
moisture over the state today. PW this morning was around 2.3
which even for Florida is high. The record for the 12z sounding on
this date is 2.41. This along with our easterly winds will help
to bring widespread showers and storms to the west coast of
Florida this afternoon and evening. We will see much of the same
conditions on our Thursday.

By Friday and into the weekend this upper level trough will move
closer to the state. This will shift our winds more southwesterly.
Typically this would reduce storm chances for the west coast, which
it will, but not as much as we typically see. This is because the
high PWs will still keep PoPs around 60 along the coast with 80 or
90 in inland locations. This trend will last through Monday.

By next Tuesday the upper level trough will be gone as winds shift
more southerly. Still PW will remain above 2 with scattered showers
and storms still expected with only a small decrease in coverage
expected.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 808 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2026

Thunderstorm activity continues across the region this evening. Near
SWFL terminals, new storms are still developing. Meanwhile, most of
the thunderstorm activity across the central interior and Tampa Bay
region is beginning to wind down; but stratiform rain continues to
linger with the occasional lightning strike. Over the next few
hours, most of the activity should subside, with a fairly quiet
overnight period. Towards morning, the residual moisture does favor
some lower clouds, which could lead to a brief period of MVFR, with
the greatest potential around Tampa Bay and interior terminals.
However, it cannot be completely ruled out across SWFL either; its
just too low for direct mention. As the flow veers to a more SSW
direction tomorrow, expecting early thunderstorms across SWFL, with
a slightly earlier time-frame for the Tampa Bay area than today, but
likely still in the afternoon. This flow sticks around for the next
few days. With ample moisture and instability remaining, this
suggests that earlier thunderstorm timing should be anticipated for
the next few days.

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 149 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2026

Winds will shift to a more southerly direction tonight and
remain that way through our Saturday. However, speeds will remain
around 5 to 10 knots. Deep tropical moisture will result in best
storm chances in the evening and early overnight hours as storms
push off the coast. However we will also see some isolated showers
each morning in the Gulf.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 149 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2026

Deeper layer moisture has pushed back into the state which
will bring scattered showers and storms across the state through the
weekend. We will not have any major fire weather concern.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TPA  77  89  77  90 /  60  70  30  80
FMY  77  91  77  92 /  60  60  30  80
GIF  75  92  76  94 /  40  70  40  90
SRQ  76  90  77  92 /  60  60  30  70
BKV  73  91  73  92 /  40  70  30  90
SPG  77  89  78  90 /  60  70  30  60

&&

Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Regime For Thursday: 6
Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Regime For Friday: 4

For additional information on sea breeze regimes, go to:
     https://www.weather.gov/tbw/ThunderstormClimatology

&&

.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...None.
Gulf waters...None.

&&

$$

UPDATE/AVIATION...Flannery
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...Shiveley

- Additional Information:
None

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