Canard, INC. LONG EZ accident near Crystal River, Florida, April 5, 1985
On April 5, 1985 at about 4:23 pm local time, a Canard, INC. LONG EZ, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N280EZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal River, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1985 · about 4:23 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canard, INC. LONG EZ, amateur-built
- Registration
- N280EZ · no longer on the register · serial 588
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE FLYING AT LOW LEVEL HE COLLIDED WITH SOME POWER LINES, SEVERING HIS MAIN LANDING GEAR & ONE HALF OF HIS LEFT WINGLET. HE THEN CONTINUED ABOUT 4 MILES FURTHER LANDING IN A CLEAR AREA ON THE CRYSTAL RIVER POWER PLANT PROPERTY & SLID APRX 50 YARDS BEFORE HE STOPPED.
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: 447 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 379 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 240 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OCF Ocala FL at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from GNV, 30 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.