Carter LONG-EZ N83LE

Summary

On 28 March 1998 at about 23:30 local time, a Carter LONG-EZ registered N83LE, operated by Donald L. Judy, was involved in an accident near Lebanon, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 March 1998 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lebanon, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Eppler (NONE)

Coordinates

33.9800, -96.9104

Aircraft

Carter LONG-EZ

Registration

N83LE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Donald L. Judy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dallas → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA162

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the tailwind and his ensuing failure to attain the proper touchdown point. Factors were the tailwind and the pilot's failure to adequately preflight the airplane which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

About 40 minutes into the personal flight, the homebuilt airplane's engine began "cutting out and kicking back in." Although the wind was from the south at 10 to 15 knots, the pilot elected to land the airplane downwind to the north on a grass airstrip, due to a concern that landing into the wind could result in a collision with mobile homes at the south end of the strip in case of an overrun. The airplane touched down about two-thirds of the way down the 3,000 foot long strip, overran the north end of the strip, nosed over, and came to a stop in the inverted position. Examination by an FAA inspector revealed that the gascolator bowl was full of water, and water was found in fuel drained from the left fuel tank. The passenger reported that the airplane was washed before the flight. According to the owner of the airplane, at an earlier date, he left the airplane parked outside, it rained overnight, and he found considerable water in the fuel system the next day.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.