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

FMI: www.ntsb.gov