Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lewes, Delaware 19958
Sunday, July 10, 2005 10:52 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The accident airplanes were part of a group of six experimental airplanes practicing a formation flight routine for an upcoming airshow. The airplanes had just completed a "six ship opposing" maneuver, in which the airplanes flew towards each other in two groups of three airplanes. The group containing the accident airplanes was assembled with a lead airplane in front (the RV-8 airplane) and two additional airplanes aligned behind and to each side of the lead (in a "triangle" formation). The Long EZ was the airplane behind and to the right of the RV-8. The "six ship opposing" maneuver was performed without any abnormality, and approximately 3 seconds later, the Long EZ and lead RV-8 collided. Both aircraft subsequently impacted the water beneath them. Examination of several videotapes and a digital photograph revealed that the Long EZ airplane was above the RV-8 and out of position in the moments prior to the collision. No pre-impact mechanical deficiencies were noted with either airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The Long EZ pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the RV-8 airplane, which resulted in a mid-air collision during a formation flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/10/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1052 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Lewes |
| Event State | DELAWARE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19958 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 384748N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0750554W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1054 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GED |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 50 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20262 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 10 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 3 2006 2:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | PHL FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N78LC | N899RM |
| NTSB Number | NYC05FA117A | NYC05FA117B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | Y |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Carlstrom | Morgan |
| Aircraft Model | Long EZ | RV-8 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 391 | 80235 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1750 | 1800 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2005 12:00AM | Dec 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- | 533 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ace Aero LLC | Ralph Morgan |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1026 W Lancaster Ave | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Brym Mawr | Rehoboth Beach |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19010 | 19971 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | No |
| Operator Name | Jay Blum | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | Berwyn | Milton |
| Operator State | PA | DE |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19312 | 19968 |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- | -- |
| 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) | Air Race/Show | Air Race/Show |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No | No |
| Departure Airport Code | GED | GED |
| Departure City | Georgetown | Georgetown |
| Departure State | DE | DE |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | GED | GED |
| Destination City | -- | -- |
| Destination State | -- | -- |
| Destination Country | -- | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 19 2006 5:51PM | Jun 19 2006 5:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA | NA |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |