Amateur-built LONG EZ accident near Cascade, Idaho, September 2, 1998
On September 2, 1998 at about 2:10 pm local time, a amateur-built LONG EZ, registered N5159P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cascade, Idaho (Cascade airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed on final approach. Factors include inadequate remedial action and erroneous airspeed indications.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1998 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Cascade, Idaho · Cascade · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LONG EZ
- Registration
- N5159P · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, a Navy test pilot with approximately 1500 hours total flight time in the Long EZ, reported that on short final the aircraft began to settle rapidly and touched down hard approximately 250 feet short of the threshold. He indicated that there was no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft's power plant or systems. However, in his written report, he stated that on short final he 'scanned the instrument panel and noticed the airspeed read 100 mph. (This is way too high to stop a Long EZ on a 4000' runway.) Aircraft attitude seemed normal, approach was at appropriate altitude/lineup, so I reduced power and deployed the speed brake. In my aircraft, the speed brake blows closed at 95 mph from aerodynamic forces-it stayed out. As I mentally started processing the fact that the speed brake did not blow back, I sensed an increase in the rate of descent. I retracted the speed brake, added full power, and eased the nose up-touching down 250' short of the runway.' The pilot also reported that he believed the 'airspeed indicator stuck at 100 mph during final approach.' He stated that 'I'm not sure this could have reasonably been foreseen or prevented; higher approach speed would have prevented the settle that developed on short final, but I would have had to instantly recognize the airspeed indicator error. By the time I recognized an excess rate of descent and initiated a wave-off, it was too late to avoid touching down.'
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: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 1,450 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1998; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,325 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U70 at 1:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from MYL
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.