ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 266026
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Tuesday 27 July 2021 |
| Time: | 7:14 |
| Type: |  Rutan Long-EZ |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N966EZ |
| MSN: | 966 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1986 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1200 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-E2G |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Ryan Field Airport (RYN/KRYN) Tucson, AZ -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Tucson-Ryan Field, AZ (KRYN) |
| Tucson-Ryan Field, AZ (KRYN) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On July 27, 2021, about 0714 mountain standard time, an experimental amateur-built Long EZ airplane, N966EZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. The pilot receiving instruction was fatally injured, and the flight instructor was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight.
The pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor were conducting a flight review flight in the airplane. After completing some maneuvers, they returned to the airport to accomplish a simulated engine-out, straight-in approach. During the final approach, the airplane was fast on a few occasions, and the pilot used the speed brake to slow down and descend. On short final, the airplane was slow, and the flight instructor told the pilot to use power. Although the pilot added power, the airplane landed hard about 500 ft short of the runway in soft terrain, nosed over, and came to rest inverted.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The speed brake was found extended. It is likely that the slow airspeed on short final approach in combination with the extended speed brake resulted in a sink rate that the pilot was unable to overcome and resulted in the hard landing short of the runway.
The flight instructor elected to conduct the flight review from the rear seat of the tandem seat airplane, which was not equipped with throttle or rudder controls. Additionally, the flight instructor was unable to see the flight instruments and had limited visibility outside the airplane. Due to the limited visibility and the lack of flight instruments and controls in the back seat, the flight instructor was likely unable to adequately assess the airplane’s flight parameters and touchdown point and take appropriate remedial action.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and to retract the speed brake during the approach, which resulted in a hard landing short of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s decision to conduct a flight review in an airplane without the appropriate visibility, flight instruments, and controls for him to adequately assess the airplane’s flight parameters and touchdown point and take appropriate remedial action.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/1-dead-1-injured-in-plane-crash-at-ryan-airfield
https://eu.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-breaking/2021/07/27/small-plane-crash-tucson-airfield-leaves-1-person-dead-1-injured/5388134001/
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N966EZ
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N966EZ
https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisk48/5069116119/ (photo)
Location
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Media:
NTSB is investigating the July 27, 2021, crash of an experimental amateur-built Long-EZ near Tucson, Arizona.
— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) July 27, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Jul-2021 19:27 | Geno | Added |
| 27-Jul-2021 20:21 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Phase, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 28-Jul-2021 12:01 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Cn, Location, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 28-Jul-2021 16:39 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Phase, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 28-Jul-2021 16:48 | aaronwk | Updated [Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 28-Jul-2021 20:54 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Phase, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 12-Oct-2021 21:31 | Captain Adam | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation