Amateur-built RUTAN LONG accident near Port Townsend, Washington, August 26, 1987
On August 26, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RUTAN LONG, registered N252BC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Townsend, Washington (Jefferson County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- August 26, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Port Townsend, Washington · Jefferson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RUTAN LONG
- Registration
- N252BC · registry record · serial 1387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT NOTED SLUGGISH ROTATION PERFORMANCE AND RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. WHEN HE REDUCED POWER THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED. HE REAPPLIED FULL POWER AND ABRUPT AFT STICK, TO EXECUTE RAPID ROTATION AND LIFT OFF. THE HAND GRIP SEPARATED FROM THE CONTROL STICK. HE ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK A DITCH, CROSSED A ROAD AND IMPACTED IN A FIELD.
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: 167 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 124 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,325 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,300 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from CLM, 27 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.