Amateur-built RUTAN LONGEZE accident near Marietta, Georgia, February 1, 1995
On February 1, 1995 at about 12:20 pm local time, a amateur-built RUTAN LONGEZE, registered N103JB, was destroyed in an accident near Marietta, Georgia (Cobb Co-Mccollum Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed abort of the ground run which resulted in a runway overrun and collision with the ravine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 1995 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Marietta, Georgia · Cobb Co-Mccollum Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RUTAN LONGEZE RUTAN LONG
- Registration
- N103JB · registry record · serial 509
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WIFE, THIS FLIGHT WAS TO BE A GROUND RUN ONLY, WITH NO TAKEOFF CONTEMPLATED. THE PILOT & HIS STEPDAUGHTER WERE COMPARING ACCELERATIONS AFTER WEIGHT CHANGES FOR A SCHOOL PROJECT. A WITNESS OBSERVED FROST ON THE ACFT AS IT TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY. OTHER WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT ACCELERATE ON THE RUNWAY, ROTATE, BECOME AIRBORNE TO ABOUT FIVE FEET AGL, SETTLE TO THE RUNWAY, BECOME AIRBORNE AGAIN, & OVERRUN THE RUNWAY INTO A WIDE RAVINE. IT COLLIDED WITH THE OPPOSITE BANK & BURNED. GROUND GOUGES INDICATED THAT THE ACFT WAS AIRBORNE FOR 219 FEET PAST THE RUNWAY END. THREE GOUGES, FOR 135 FEET, INDICATED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN A SLIGHT LEFT SKID, & THE INCREASING DEPTH OF THE GOUGES INDICATED THAT BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE ACFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON A RIGHT OFFSET HEADING, FROM THE ENERGY PATH, OF ABOUT 45 DEGREES, INDICATING THAT IT VAULTED OVER THE RAVINE UPRIGHT, IN A 45 DEGREE RIGHT YAW ATTITUDE. THE POST-MORTEM EXAM DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF INCAPACITATION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RYY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,105 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:20 pm from RYY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.