Pilot Had Just Completed Homebuilt Plane
The owner of a homebuilt Lancair 360 (file photo of type, below)
was killed Sunday when the high-performance aircraft went down
shortly after takeoff from Martha's Vineyard Airport (MVY), on what
was believed to be one of the homebuilt airplane's first
flights.
State police identified the victim as the airplane's owner,
James R. Rogers. He was the only person onboard the aircraft,
according to the Cape Cod Times.
Airport manager Sean Flynn said the plane went down about 200
feet inside the Manuel F, Correllus State Forest, off the departure
end of Runway 6.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known, although
Rogers had reported problems with the aircraft and was attempting
to turn back to the airport. One poster on a Lancair mailing list
stated the engine had lost power.
There was also a fire at the scene of the accident, although it
was unclear if it started after the plane went down or while the
aircraft was still in flight.
Those who knew Rogers described the man as an avid and skilled
pilot, as well as a popular member of the island flying
community.
"He was a pillar of that little community that grows up inside
an airport," Flynn said.
According to media reports, Rogers had recently
finished building the Lancair 360. Family members were at the
airport to watch Rogers take flight, and one of them may have been
videotaping the flight as well.
"If it's true that there is a video, it may be very revealing,"
said Flynn.
Federal and state investigators were on the scene Sunday
night.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 360JR
Make/Model: EXP Description:
LANCAIR
Date: 11/27/2005 Time: 1710
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: VINEYARD HAVEN State: MA
Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT ON CLIMBOUT, REPORTED A PROBLEM AND ON ATTEMPT TO LAND,
CRASHED, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, MARTHA'S
VINEYARD, VINEYARD HAVEN, MA
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 1
# Crew: 1 Fat:
1 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: 1655Z 09006KTS 10SM BKN018 09/04 A3040
OTHER DATA
Departed: VINEYARD HAVEN,
MA Dep
Date: Dep.
Time:
Destination: VINEYARD HAVEN,
MA Flt Plan:
UNK Wx
Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: ON AIRPORT Last Clearance: CLRD
TO LAND
FAA FSDO: BOSTON, MA
(NE01)
Entry date: 11/28/2005