Amateur-built LONG EZ accident near Fall River, Massachusetts, May 11, 1983
On May 11, 1983 at about 11:00 am local time, a amateur-built LONG EZ, registered N245R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fall River, Massachusetts (Fall River airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- May 11, 1983 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Fall River, Massachusetts · Fall River
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG EZ
- Registration
- N245R · registry record · serial 245
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER. HE MOVED THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL TO APPLY CARB HEAT & TRIED TO START THE ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE THEN TRIED TO LAND ON A ROAD, BUT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA BEFORE REACHING THE ROADWAY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE END OF THE CARB HEAT BOX HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED, MAKING THE CARB HEAT SYS INOP. THE ENG WAS STARTED & OPERATED NORMALLY DURING A RUN-UP CHECK. AT NANTUCKET, MA. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 43 & 41 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. AT HYANNIS, MA, THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 48 & 41 DEG. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CURVES, SERIOUS CARB ICE COULD HAVE OCCURRED IN CRUISE 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 668 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 650 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, April 6, 1983; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,312 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EWB New Bedford MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 1,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from EWB, 15 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.
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.