Amateur-built Long-EZ accident near Mountain Green, Utah, November 27, 2022
On November 27, 2022 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 1983 amateur-built Long-EZ, registered N379W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Mountain Green, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s flight into a valley with rising terrain that the airplane was incapable of out-climbing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2022 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mountain Green, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Long-EZ, built 1983
- Registration
- N379W · no longer on the register · serial 1199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, he mistakenly entered the wrong valley with rising terrain, which the airplane could not out-climb. When the pilot determined that he would not out-climb the terrain or safely reverse course, he landed the airplane on the valley floor, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Navigation error during enroute
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 16, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 200 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 18, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,325 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 972 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 42U Mountain Green UT at 2:00 pm
- Destination: KRXE Rexburg ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 40°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:15 pm from KHIF, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHIF 272055Z AUTO 19006KT 10SM FEW033 BKN090 04/M05 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP169 T00401050 57025=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 5, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.