Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85726
Thursday, December 17, 1992 17:35 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT WAS BEING DEMONSTRATED BY THE PILOT TO A POTENTIAL BUYER, WHO WAS A PASSENGER IN THE REAR TANDEM SEAT. THE ENGINE DID NOT HAVE AN ELECTRIC STARTER INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGER, THE PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING THE LOW SPEED HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRCRAFT AT AN ALTITUDE HE ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 3,000 FEET AGL. THE PILOT BROUGHT THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, AND, AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED, THE ENGINE CEASED TO RUN AND THE PROPELLER STOPPED TURNING. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO AFFECT AN AIRSTART OF THE ENGINE AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD. DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT AN AIRSPEED OF 70 KNOTS OR MORE IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN ENGINE ROTATION AT IDLE. THE MANUAL FURTHER STATES THAT THE ENGINE STOPS TURNING, A DIVE SPEED OF 130 KNOTS OR MORE IS REQUIRED TO REGAIN ENGINE ROTATION WITH AN ALTITUDE LOSS OF GREATER THAN 2,000 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED OR POWER SETTING SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ENGINE ROTATION DURING THE LOW SPEED DEMONSTRATION. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO AFFECT AN ENGINE RESTART ONCE THE PROPELLER STOPPED TURNING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1735
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TUCSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85726
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID RYN
Elevation of weather observation facility 2415
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 14000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 873
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 17 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50035
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N777CJ
NTSB Number LAX93LA069
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LYDICK
Aircraft Model LONG-EZ
Aircraft Series Identifier LONG-EZ
Aircraft Serial Number 1114
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 588
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT E. ANDERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19001 S. RICHFIELD AVENUE, #18
Aircraft Owner City GREEN VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85614
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT E. ANDERSON
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 19001 S. RICHFIELD AVENUE, #18
Operator City GREEN VALLEY
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85614
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1655
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code RYN
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --