Amateur-built LONG-EZ accident near Hernando, Florida, November 13, 1993
On November 13, 1993 at about 9:15 pm local time, a amateur-built LONG-EZ, registered N83TS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hernando, Florida (Twelve Oaks Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the nose gear down relay on the landing gear retraction/extension assembly for undetermined reasons, resulting in the collapse of the nose wheel on landing, and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 1993 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hernando, Florida · Twelve Oaks Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG-EZ
- Registration
- N83TS · no longer on the register · serial 1982L
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On landing touchdown the nosewheel collapsed and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage. Examination of the nosewheel retraction/extension assembly revealed the nose gear down relay had failed for undetermined reasons.
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: 713 hours in all; 675 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 665 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 733 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 1993; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from TPA, 5 miles away
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 N83TS 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.