ANN REALTIME REPORTING 04.12.06 1620EST -- Aero-News has confirmed the pilot of "Relentless", the Nemesis NXT racer that was apparently destroyed during an emergency landing attempt in southwestern New Mexico Tuesday, was the aircraft's builder, Kevin Eldridge.

Fortunately, Eldridge was able to evacuate the aircraft after landing, and was not injured in the incident.

The FAA reports the aircraft was on fire when Eldridge brought it down.

Original Report

An alert News-Spy sent along the following FAA Preliminary Report, indicating that the Nemesis NXT racer "Relentless," exhibited last week at the Sun 'N Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, FL,  experienced problems over New Mexico Tuesday.

The report indicates the pilot -- whose identity has not been confirmed -- is safe after being forced to attempt an emergency landing on a dirt strip near Glenwood, NM after reporting a fire onboard the plane.

"Relentless" was on display throughout Sun 'N Fun, and air racer Jon Sharp (pictured above with builder Kevin Eldridge; the aircraft is shown at Lakeland below) also demonstrated the aircraft during Thursday's "Showcase" flyover that preceded the daily air show.

The Nemesis NXT (which stands for Neoteric eXperimental Technology) is a two place, retractable gear, single engine, kit airplane of all molded carbon fiber construction, allowing a very sleek aerodynamic profile. Designed and built as an air racer, "Relentless" was powered by a Lycoming TI0-540-NXT engine, driving a racing-spec Hartzell propeller.

ANN will bring you more on this story as it develops -- but for the moment, obviously the most important news is that the pilot is safe.

**   Report created 4/12/2006   Record 3
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IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 42XT        Make/Model: EXP       Description: NXT AMATEUR BUILT  EXP
  Date: 04/11/2006     Time: 1650

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: GLENWOOD   State: NM   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT REPORTED MAYDAY AND ON FIRE, ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A DIRT STRIP,
  GLENWOOD, NM

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: VFR

OTHER DATA

  Departed:                             Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: PALMDALE, CA             Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: ALBUQUERQUE, NM  (SW01)               Entry date: 04/12/2006

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.relentlessairracing.com