Airplane Continued To Bank To The Right And “Went Straight Down Into The Hillside At What Sounded Like Full Engine Power.”

Location: Mount Hamilton, CA Accident Number: WPR25FA277
Date & Time: September 12, 2025, 14:21 Local Registration: N905ET
Aircraft: Lawson Thomas O Lancair Super ES Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On September 12, 2025, about 1421 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Lancair Super ES, N905ET, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Mount Hamilton, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot’s sister reported that the pilot was due to depart from Ryan Field Airport (RYN), Tucson, Arizona, with the intended destination of the Norman Y Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Jose, California.

Hunters near the accident site reported observing the airplane circling their location at high speed about 1,000 ft above them. During a subsequent circling pattern, the airplane had descended to about 300 ft above ground level, then made a sharp right turn overflying their location. The airplane continued to bank to the right and “went straight down into the hillside at what sounded like full engine power.”

The recorded ADS-B flight track showed that at 1300:12, the airplane was on a northeast heading at an altitude of about 8,900 ft mean sea level (msl). ADS-B contact was lost about 242 miles southwest of the accident site.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted mountainous terrain along the western edge of a valley about 5 miles northeast of Mount Hamilton. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a 12 ft tall tree that had damaged limbs near the top of the tree. The debris path was oriented on a heading of about 250° magnetic and was about 90 ft in length from the FIPC. Various portions of airplanes flight control surfaces, and propeller fragments were observed throughout the debris path. The fuselage came to rest inverted on a heading of about 250° magnetic at an elevation of 2,148 ft msl.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov