Amateur-built Long-EZE SR7-1 accident near Falfurrias, Texas, March 1, 2010
On March 1, 2010, a amateur-built Long-EZE SR7-1, registered N97EZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Falfurrias, Texas (Brooks County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to a failure of the crankshaft behind the No. 3 connecting rod journal for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2010
- Place
- Falfurrias, Texas · Brooks County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Long-EZE SR7-1
- Registration
- N97EZ · registry record · serial 1133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was in level cruise flight at 3,500 feet mean sea level when the engine suddenly vibrated then seized. The pilot made a "firm" forced landing on rolling brush and rock-strewn terrain. During the landing roll, the landing gear was sheared off and the canard wing was crushed. Engine disassembly revealed case fretting and main bearing movement. A representative of the engine manufacturer indicated that the failure mode was extremely rare, if not unique. The pilot had installed a Hertzler “Silver Bullet” composite propeller to the extended hub. According to the representative, it was possible that a harmonic vibration could have emanated from the propeller through the extended hub to the crankshaft. However, this propeller had not been tested to determine if there were amplified propeller harmonics to the crankshaft and the investigation was unable to determine that such vibration led to the engine failure.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller assembly › Design
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Modification/alteration › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,384 hours in all; 1,337 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 7,838 as pilot in command; 3,393 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,732 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 4, 2010; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,475 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Aero Sport Power O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX
- Destination: MFE Mcallen TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN10LA131.