20230819015669A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Montague Thomas W LONG EZ · Brighton, MI · August 19, 2023

Date: August 19, 2023 · 08:30 local
Place: Brighton, MI
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N29TM
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN23LA371
Reported as: Montague Thomas W Long EZ
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 27,000 total47 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N29TMRegistered now · Montague Thomas W LONG EZS/N 729 · Built 1987 Airframe modelMontague Thomas W LONG EZ Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While in cruise flight at 4500' MSL and approximatley 6NM south of Brighton airport (45G) the pilot experienced a sudden loss of power.

The pilot declared an emergency with dtw approach and elected to proceed to 45G which was 6NM away instead of slecting a closer emergency landing spot. The pilot overflew numerous suitable emergency landing areas including golf courses.

When he realized he would not make it to 45G and was approaching a populated area with a lot of buildings he elected to put the aircraft in a small lake, there was a golf course fairway .1NM from the lake that he selected to ditch in.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 4500' MSL AND APPROXIMATLEY 6NM SOUTH OF BRIGHTON AIRPORT (45G) THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER.

THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH DTW APPROACH AND ELECTED TO PROCEED TO 45G WHICH WAS 6NM AWAY INSTEAD OF SLECTING A CLOSER EMERGENCY LANDING SPOT. THE PILOT OVERFLEW NUMEROUS SUITABLE EMERGENCY LANDING AREAS INCLUDING GOLF COURSES.

WHEN HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO 45G AND WAS APPROACHING A POPULATED AREA WITH A LOT OF BUILDINGS HE ELECTED TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT IN A SMALL LAKE, THERE WAS A GOLF COURSE FAIRWAY .1NM FROM THE LAKE THAT HE SELECTED TO DITCH IN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN23LA371Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportGenoa Township, MIA total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Aug 19, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N29TM · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20010322009339ILevel Off Touchdown · Greenville, SC(-23)On landing at Greenville (gmu) airport, runway one, the nose gear swivel fork failed on contact with the runway. The nose gear wheel separated from the aircraft. The aircraft became airborne again and then made a normal landing without any further…Mar 22, 2001 · Minor damage Incident 19970103008659INormal Cruise · Ft Smith, ARNarrative: during cruise flight, the wooden propeller came apart. Part of the propeller struck the right rudder knocking the rudder from the aircraft at the hinges. The aircraft made an uneventful emergency landing on a highway.Jan 3, 1997 · Reported as Amtrru Variezelong · Minor damage