Amateur-built LONG EZE accident near Farmington, New Mexico, July 17, 2000
On July 17, 2000 at about 7:53 pm local time, a amateur-built LONG EZE, registered N51EZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, New Mexico (Four Corners Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the coolant recovery system, resulting in overheating of the engine. A factor was the soft ground on which the forced landing was made.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2000 · about 7:53 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Four Corners Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG EZE
- Registration
- N51EZ · registry record · serial 1534
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the pilot started the engine, he noticed the coolant temperature was 'slightly warm.' During taxi, coolant temperature increased. The pilot used full power for the high density altitude takeoff from runway 25. The engine overheated, the coolant recovery system failed, and steam entered the cockpit. The rear seat passenger was burned on the hip and back, thought there was a fire, and told the pilot to shut down the engine. The airplane was at an altitude of 700 feet. He secured the engine, turned the airplane around, and glided towards the airport. He declared an emergency, and was cleared to land on runway 5. A water hose broke at this time, and the steam dissipated. The airplane landed on airport property but with the nose landing gear retracted. When the airplane contacted soft dirt the main landing gear was torn off, and it skidded 200 feet, crossed a taxiway, and skidded another 200 feet before coming to a halt.
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: 1,000 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 2000; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ford SVO 360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: FMN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FMN
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.