Amateur-built E75L300 accident near Fostoria, Ohio, August 17, 2002
On August 17, 2002 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built E75L300, registered N65BH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fostoria, Ohio (Fostoria airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A missing flight control sealed bearing, which resulted in a loss of control in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2002 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fostoria, Ohio · Fostoria · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built E75L300
- Registration
- N65BH · registry record · serial 75-6865
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a short field take-off, the airplane began to climb. When it reached the end of the runway, at 100 feet above the ground, it started a 10- to15-degree bank turn to the left. It simultaneously pitched up, slowed down and stalled, and the left wing and nose pitched down toward the ground. The wings then began to level, and the airplane appeared to be recovering from the dive when it struck the ground in a flat attitude. Post-accident examination revealed that the sealed bearing that connected the front seat control column to the aileron/elevator push-pull tube was missing. The airplane had recently undergone an annual maintenance inspection.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,997 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4,188 as pilot in command; 675 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,530.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2002; 1.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R-680 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FZI Fostoria OH at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,198 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,800 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from FDY, 16 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.
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.