Amateur-built LONG EZ accident near Boulder, Colorado, October 19, 2013
On October 19, 2013 at about 4:45 pm local time, a 1993 amateur-built LONG EZ, registered N282RD, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Municipal 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
The sudden loss of tire pressure during takeoff roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2013 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG EZ, built 1993
- Registration
- N282RD · registry record · serial 282
- 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 during the takeoff roll, shortly before liftoff, the airplane began to swerve to the left. He was unable to regain directional control, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. A postaccident examination of the runway revealed a wavy, double-line marking consistent with the width of a main landing gear tire. The marking began about 1,400 feet down the runway and continued another 400 feet until it departed the left runway edge. The pilot attributed his loss of directional control to a sudden deflation of the left main landing gear tire. The postaccident examination confirmed that the left main tire was deflated and loose in its wheel assembly. The examination did not reveal any additional anomalies with the airplane that would have prevented normal operation. The left swerve encountered during the takeoff roll was likely due to a sudden loss of pressure in the left main landing gear tire, which resulted in increased surface drag.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Tube › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 980 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 870 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 762 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 27, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ultrapure Air, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BDU Boulder CO at 4:45 pm
- Destination: BDU Boulder CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from LMO, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN14LA011.