Amateur-built LONG-EZE accident near Waukesha, Wisconsin, July 24, 1996
On July 24, 1996 at about 10:20 pm local time, a amateur-built LONG-EZE, registered N303Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waukesha, Wisconsin (Waukesha airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the throttle cable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1996 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Waukesha, Wisconsin · Waukesha · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG-EZE
- Registration
- N303Y · no longer on the register · serial 1206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was 6 miles from the airport when 'something broke on the throttle. The airplane's engine would only develop idle power.' The pilot 'trimmed the airplane for 120 miles per hour and tried to make the runway.' When he noticed that his visual glide path was too low, the pilot elected to land the airplane on a highway between moving automobiles. During the landing, the airplane stuck a curb, an automobile and a truck before coming to a stop on the highway. Examination revealed that the throttle linkage cable to the throttle arm spring had broken leaving the throttle arm in the idle power position.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 985 hours in all; 625 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 985 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,244 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3GM Grand Haven MI at 9:07 pm
- Destination: UES
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:08 pm from UES, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.