Amateur-built LONG EZ accident near Front Royal, Virginia, August 8, 1992
On August 8, 1992 at about 1:00 pm local time, a amateur-built LONG EZ, registered N90PD, was destroyed in an accident near Front Royal, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND A COLLISION WITH TREES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITIES, AND THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WHICH OBSCURED THE RIDGE LINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1992 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Front Royal, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG EZ
- Registration
- N90PD · registry record · serial 1360
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP AFTER HE RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED AN ADVISORY FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. EN ROUTE HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND FOG OVER A RIDGE LINE WHICH WAS THE HIGH POINT BETWEEN HIS DEPARTURE POINT AND THE INTENDED DESTINATION. THE PILOT CONTINUED ON COURSE TO THE VOR AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES AT AN ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 3200 FEET. THE HIGHEST ELEVATION NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 3368 FEET. DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH FOR 200 FEET. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1992; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: W83 Hanover VA at 12:15 pm
- Destination: N68 Chambersburg PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from IAD, 34 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.