Lancair and the US National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the loss of the first Columbia 300 four-seater after it crashed into the Columbia River close to Portland International Airport, Oregon, on 8 January.
Lancair company pilot Hans Oesch and a passenger are missing, believed dead, following the discovery of parts of the aircraft wreckage in the river. "The aircraft was apparently making a second attempt at an ILS [instrument landing system] approach when it ran into a dense fog bank," says president Lance Neibauer.
The Columbia 300 was only recently certificated by the US Federal Aviation Administration and the backlog is "pushing 300 orders", says Neibauer. The fully configured certificated aircraft is being used for autopilot development work in Texas, while the final assembly line in Bend, Oregon, is being geared up for full production this year. "Our priority is to get the assembly line running," he says.
Source: Flight International
