Amateur-built LONG E-Z accident near Prescott, Arizona, August 3, 1995
On August 3, 1995 at about 3:40 am local time, a amateur-built LONG E-Z, registered N163J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Ernerst A. Love Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to properly lean the engine for best power, his premature rotation of an over gross aircraft on an uphill runway, and his delay in aborting the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1995 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Ernerst A. Love Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG E-Z
- Registration
- N163J · registry record · serial 1135
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About midway down the runway, the pilot initiated the first of three abortive attempts to rotate and climb out. After each attempt the aircraft settled back onto the runway. The pilot aborted his takeoff but did not have sufficient stopping distance remaining. The aircraft overran the runway and collided with a fence. Before departure, the pilot performed a runup and then went through a verbal checklist which included mixture rich. The plans supplier recommends an engine leaning procedure be followed prior to takeoff when density altitude exceeds 5,000 feet. The computed density altitude was 7,771 feet. The computed gross takeoff weight was 1,546.8 pounds, which exceeded the plans supplier recommendation of 1,325 pounds. The runway has a 1.0 percent upslope. The weight of the aircraft placed it off of the takeoff distance performance planning charts. No discrepancies were found during an examination of the aircraft. The engine was started and exercised to full 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 617 hours in all; 404 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 405 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1995; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,325 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRC at 3:40 am
- Destination: POC La Verne CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21L, 7,616 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from PRC
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX95LA277.