What happened
On September 19, 2018, an experimental amateur-built Rutan Long EZ, registration N5RJ, was performing landing maneuvers at an airport in Independence, Oregon. During the third touch-and-go landing, the pilot reported that the aircraft was traveling at a high airspeed and experienced a hard landing.
Following the impact, the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft exited the right side of the runway and underwent a cartwheel before coming to rest in an upright position. There were no injuries resulting from the accident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft and the circumstances of the landing. The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunctions or failures were present that would have prevented normal operation of the aircraft.