Remos GX and amateur-built Rutan accident near Arlington, Washington, March 19, 2011
On March 19, 2011 at about 10:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Remos GX (N386GX) and amateur-built Rutan (N11NL), were involved in the same accident near Arlington, Washington (Arlington Municipal airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The LSA pilots' failure to stop and to ensure that the taxiway was clear of conflicting traffic before entering.
The LSA pilots' failure to stop and to ensure that the taxiway was clear of conflicting traffic before entering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2011 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Washington · Arlington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Remos GX
- Registration
- N386GX · no longer on the register · serial 309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built Rutan Long EZ
- Registration
- N11NL · registry record · serial 1108
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Remos GX final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental Long EZ was taxiing on taxiway A for a planned departure from the non-towered airport. About the same time, a light sport airplane (LSA) was taxiing out of a ramp area on a stub taxiway, towards taxiway A, for a planned departure. According to the Long EZ pilot, he saw the LSA approach from the right and then turned right onto taxiway A. He steered his airplane to the left side of the taxiway in an attempt to avoid the LSA. According to both persons on board the LSA, as they approached the taxiway, they looked to the right and left, and then proceeded onto taxiway A via a right turn. Shortly after the LSA joined the taxiway centerline, the Long EZ's right vertical stabilizer struck the LSA's left aileron. The LSA's rotating propeller struck the right canard of the Long EZ. The airplanes came to a stop near the edge of taxiway A, about 75 feet beyond the center of the stub taxiway. A chain link fence near the taxiway limited the pilots' ability to see one another until they were close to the taxiway intersection. However, none of the pilots involved reported that the LSA stopped before it turned onto taxiway A. Subsequent to the accident, the fixed base operator modified their standard operating procedures to require pilots to stop prior to entering taxiway A.
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 NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built Rutan final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental Long EZ was taxiing on taxiway A for a planned departure from the non-towered airport. About the same time, a light sport airplane (LSA) was taxiing out of a ramp area on a stub taxiway, towards taxiway A, for a planned departure. According to the Long EZ pilot, he saw the LSA approach from the right and then turned right onto taxiway A. He steered his airplane to the left side of the taxiway in an attempt to avoid the LSA. According to both persons on board the LSA, as they approached the taxiway, they looked to the right and left, and then proceeded onto taxiway A via a right turn. Shortly after the LSA joined the taxiway centerline, the Long EZ's right vertical stabilizer struck the LSA's left aileron. The LSA's rotating propeller struck the right canard of the Long EZ. The airplanes came to a stop near the edge of taxiway A, about 75 feet beyond the center of the stub taxiway. A chain link fence near the taxiway limited the pilots' ability to see one another until they were close to the taxiway intersection. However, none of the pilots involved reported that the LSA stopped before it turned onto taxiway A. Subsequent to the accident, the fixed base operator modified their standard operating procedures to require pilots to stop prior to entering taxiway A.
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 for the Remos GX from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during prior to flight defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 167 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 54 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 6, 2010
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,925 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,832 as pilot in command; 2,194 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 3, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 271 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 7, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: RNT Renton WA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PAE, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
The factual record for the amateur-built Rutan from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during prior to flight defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Response/compensation
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 475 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 20, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 475 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: AWO Arlington WA
- Flight plan: not recorded
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11CA171.