Amateur-built Widebody Long EZ accident near Martha'S Vineyard, Massachusetts, August 3, 2002
On August 3, 2002 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Widebody Long EZ, registered N3R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martha'S Vineyard, Massachusetts. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Pilot incapacitation from a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage (stroke.)
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2002 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Martha'S Vineyard, Massachusetts · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Widebody Long EZ
- Registration
- N3R · no longer on the register · serial 2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted ocean waters during a research flight. An autopsy revealed that the pilot suffered a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage. Injuries suffered when the airplane impacted the water "occurred after death."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2001
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HYA Hyannis MA at 3:59 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from MVY
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.
Other NTSB records under N3R 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.