History of Flight
On July 27, 2021, at about 0714 mountain standard time, an experimental amateur-built Long EZ airplane, registration N966EZ, was substantially damaged when it struck terrain near Tucson, Arizona. The flight was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. The pilot receiving instruction sustained fatal injuries; the flight instructor sustained serious injuries.
ADS-B data showed the airplane departed Ryan Field (RYN) on a northerly track, then turned left to the west and later to a southerly heading. After maneuvering with several 360° turns, it proceeded eastbound toward RYN. The last data point, at 0714, was consistent with the airplane on final approach to runway 06R, with ground speed decreasing in the final seconds.
The pilot contacted the RYN tower controller about 12 miles southwest of the airport and requested to practice a power-off landing. The controller instructed a straight-in approach and asked to report a 2-mile final. The pilot acknowledged and later reported 2-mile final; the controller cleared the airplane to land on runway 06R.
The flight instructor, seated in the back, stated the flight was a flight review for the pilot in the front seat. The back seat had only a control stick and no other controls or instruments, including no throttle or rudder controls. The instructor could not see the front cockpit instruments and used a portable GPS for ground speed. Visibility from the back was very limited.
According to the instructor, during the return to the airport, he asked the pilot to simulate an engine failure on approach. The pilot stabilized at about 85 knots but was high and extended the speed brake. Airspeed became fast several times on final, then slow on short final. The instructor saw 76 knots on his GPS and advised the pilot to use power if slower. The pilot gradually added power to the full setting. The airplane was in a flat attitude, over dirt, and dropped. It landed very hard; when the nose touched down, it stuck in the ground and the airplane flipped over. The instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical issues.
A surveillance video showed the airplane impacting terrain in a relatively flat attitude, then nosing over and coming to rest inverted.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on October 10, 2015, with the limitation requiring corrective lenses. He reported 1,201 total flight hours and no hours in the prior six months. His logbook was not located, but an excerpt showed his last flight review was June 4, 2019. His medical certificate expired in 2017, but he had applied for BasicMed; his BasicMed course date was December 5, 2019, and his Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist date was August 3, 2017.
The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land, and instrument. He also held flight instructor ratings for single-engine and instrument. He was issued a second-class medical certificate on September 30, 2015, with a limitation for near vision glasses. He reported about 12,000 total flight hours and about 300 hours in the accident airplane type. His medical certificate expired in 2017, but he had applied for BasicMed; his course and CMEC date were June 15, 2021.
Aircraft Information
The low-swept-wing, canard-equipped, tandem-seat airplane was built by the pilot in 1986. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320 series reciprocating engine driving a two-bladed, fixed-pitch wooden propeller installed at the rear. The composite airplane had a speed brake attached to the bottom of the fuselage. Rudders were installed on each wingtip winglet and operated outboard only. The back seat was near the trailing edge of the wing, limiting forward and side visibility.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was about 500 feet short of the extended centerline of runway 06R in a grassy field. All major structural components were present. Ground scars consistent with landing gear tracks led to the main wreckage. A large ground disturbance just before the wreckage indicated the nose gear dug into the ground and the airplane nosed over. The fuselage came to rest inverted on a heading of about 250° magnetic. The speed brake was found extended. The front cockpit bottom sustained substantial damage. The engine and accessories were relatively intact. Both propeller blades were splintered, with 8 to 12 inches of each blade remaining attached. The propeller spinner was intact. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot conducted by the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as "positional asphyxia in the setting of blunt force injuries." Toxicological testing by the FAA's Forensic Sciences Research Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide, volatiles, and tested drugs, with a positive result for a low and insignificant amount of glucose in the urine.