Amateur-built LONG EZE accident near West Salem, Ohio, August 26, 1989
On August 26, 1989 at about 8:45 pm local time, a amateur-built LONG EZE, registered N42WT, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Salem, Ohio (Pleasant Home airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK AND ATTENTION DIVERSION BY THE PILOT. FACTOR(S) RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PRESENCE OF THE WIRES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1989 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- West Salem, Ohio · Pleasant Home · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG EZE
- Registration
- N42WT · no longer on the register · serial 1670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH WIRES DURING A LONG, LOW & FLAT APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING A LOW PASS TO HAVE THE PASS VIDEOTAPED. PILOT REPORTED BEING DISTRACTED BY ANOTHER AIRPLANE NOT IN RADIO CONTACT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,964 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 3,804 as pilot in command; 2,105 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1989; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3G4 Ashland OH at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 29G Ravenna OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 2,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CAK, 30 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.
Other NTSB records under N42WT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.