Amateur-built Cozy Long Ez accident near Maui, Hawaii, November 17, 2003
On November 17, 2003 at about 7:15 am local time, a amateur-built Cozy Long Ez, registered N534S, was destroyed in an accident near Maui, Hawaii. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during cruise flight for an undetermined reason, which resulted in an emergency descent and ditching.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2003 · about 7:15 am local time
- Place
- Maui, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Cozy Long Ez
- Registration
- N534S · no longer on the register · serial 177
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power during cruise over the ocean, and the pilot ditched the airplane. The airplane was at 12,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when the engine began to experience variations of 100 rpm. The variations smoothed when the pilot adjusted the mixture, and he initially thought the variations were due to carburetor icing. After a few minutes, the conditions worsened and he turned the airplane toward an island located approximately 175 nm away. The oil pressure decreased to about 40 psi. The pilot announced a "MAYDAY" call when he realized that the oil pressure was still decreasing. The pilot began a low-powered descent, and began pumping oil into the engine using a hand pump that he had installed prior to the flight. The oil pressure decreased to 5 to 10 psi. When the airplane was at 4,000 feet msl, about 90 nm northeast of Kahalui, the engine seized. The pilot then ditched the airplane in the ocean, and the U.S. Coast Guard rescued him several hours later. Part of the airframe and the engine washed ashore on a beach about 30 days after the accident. Inspection of the remaining parts of the engine disclosed no definitive evidence of what precipitated the loss of engine power.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 4,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2003; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,886 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming 0235L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHHN Honolulu HI at 3:51 am
- Destination: KDVO Novato CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; a few clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
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.