Amateur-built LONG EZ accident near Friendly, Maryland, June 2, 1999
On June 2, 1999 at about 1:37 pm local time, a amateur-built LONG EZ, registered N555L, was destroyed in an accident near Friendly, Maryland (Potomac Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The separation of the airplane canopy for undetermined reasons, the diminished controllability of the airplane, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall/mush into trees short of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 1999 · about 1:37 pm local time
- Place
- Friendly, Maryland · Potomac Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG EZ
- Registration
- N555L · registry record · serial 2143
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Another pilot in the airport traffic pattern saw the accident airplane, and requested the accident pilot's intentions. There was no response, but the accident airplane appeared to enter a right base for the active runway. The airplane overshot the runway, then turned back, and entered a left base for the same runway. It overshot the final approach course, but corrected with a steep turn, and continued making 'S' turns during the final approach. The airplane then pitched up and mushed into trees about 200 yards short of the runway. The airplane's canopy was found about 2 miles from the accident scene, and the latching mechanism exhibited no sign of overstress, or of being latched. Another owner of a Long EZ stated that the airplane would have been difficult to control without a canopy.
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: 2,020 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W32 Clinton MD at 12:30 pm
- Destination: MCN Macon GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,665 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from DCA, 6 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.