# Accident 20250201000449A: French William E LONG-EZ, Sparta, IL, February 1, 2025 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 1, 2025, 13:50 local time - Place: Sparta, IL - Airport: Sparta Community Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Run-Up Area - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 38.1489° N, 89.6985° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1489&lon=-89.6985&mi=10 - Aircraft: N88LE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N88LE-2025-04-07) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: French William E LONG-EZ (registry code 056097W, https://openairdocs.org/model/french-william-e-long-ez) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FRENCH WILLIAM E LONG-EZ - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 385 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA090) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250201000449A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE FOLLOWING WAS TAKEN FROM THE PILOT STATEMENT ON NTSB FORM 6120.1: ENGINE HOBB START TIME RECORDED AT THE HANGER AT 1018.8 HOURS 1:18PM LOCAL TIME PER PICTURE TIME/DATE A LOCAL FLIGHT WAS INTENDED UNDER VFR WEATHER. NORMAL TAXI TO RUNWAY 18, HOLDING IN PLACE FOR ENGINE RUNUP CHECKS. FOLLOWING THE CHECKLIST, I CHECKED THE MAGNETOS, I DISCOVERED ONE WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, THE OTHER WAS NORMAL. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE HANGER, AFTER A RADIO CALL ADVISING THE LOCAL AIRPORT TRAFFICE OF MY INTENTION, I ENTERED RUNWAY 18 AND STARTED TO TAXI DOWN THE RUNWAY. ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, I SMELLED BURNED WIRE INSULATION, NO SMOKE WAS NOTICED INSIDE THE COCKPIT. AS I SLOWED TO MAKE THE RIGHT TURN ONTO A1 TAXIWAY, THE ENGINE DIED. THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO RESTART, I HEARD A CLICK OF THE STARTER ETC.. TWO OTHER ATTEMPTS WITH THE STARTER SWITCH RESULTED IN NO ENGINE START ACTION HEARD. AFTER ENTERING A1, ON THE LAST ENGINE START ATTEMPT, I LOOKED OVER MY RIGHT SHOULDER AND SAW FLAMES OVER THE WING REFUEL CAP. I IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE COCKPIT, RAN TO THE FBO OFFICE AND REQUESTED FBO EMPLOYEE TO CALL THE FIRE DEPT, THAT MY AIRCRAFT WAS ON FIRE ON A1 TAXIWAY. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CEN25LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA090), Feb 1, 2025: Rutan Long-EZ (N88LE), Sparta, IL, destroyed. Probable cause: An onboard fire for unknown reasons. ## Other reports on N88LE (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20010722021369I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010722021369I), Jul 22, 2001: Amtr LONGEZ (N88LE), Mt Vernon, OH, Minor damage. (-23) On 07/22/01, Mr. French was flying his aircraft from Ohio to new york under VFR rules. After refueling at marysville airport (I78), he had departed the… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.