NTSB Identification: CEN12FA174
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, March 01, 2012 in Belen, NM
Aircraft: HEMP TIMOTHY LEGACY 2000, registration: N273TE
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On March 1, 2012, approximately 0535 mountain standard time, an experimental Lancair Legacy 2000, N273TE, registered to the pilot rated passenger, sustained substantial damage when it collided with power lines and impacted the ground shortly after takeoff from the Alexander Municipal Airport (E80), Belen, New Mexico. The pilot and pilot rated passenger were fatally injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The flight's intended destination was Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona.

The PNM Power Company of Albuquerque, New Mexico, recorded a voltage spike at 0535 on a three phase power line that runs south of E80. Company personnel who dispatched to identify the problem discovered cut and downed power lines and the wreckage of the airplane scattered beyond the damaged lines. Evidence at the accident site showed that the airplane had collided with the 25-foot high power lines about 1.2 miles west of the departure end of runway 21. The first ground impact mark was found about 900 feet beyond the damaged power lines. Debris from the airplane was scattered beyond the initial ground impact point for about 300 feet on an approximate heading of 020 degrees magnetic.

There were no radio distress calls reported from the airplane after takeoff and there were no eye witnesses of the accident. Interviews of local FBO personnel indicated that the airplane was being flown to Mesa, Arizona, for maintenance and calibration of the fuel system. It is unknown as to why the airplane was flying at an altitude low enough to collide with the power lines.

The weather in the vicinity was mild at the time of the accident.

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