# NTSB CEN25LA090: Rutan Long-EZ, N88LE, Sparta, IL, February 1, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 1, 2025, 13:50 local (19:50 UTC) - Place: Sparta, IL - Coordinates: 38.148864, -89.698504 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1489&lon=-89.6985&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Springfield FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 199639 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199639/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199639 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA090 ## Probable cause An onboard fire for unknown reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [French William E LONG-EZ, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000/cases.md?model=056097W), [All aircraft, 72 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) (defining event); cases with it: [French William E LONG-EZ, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=056097W), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he taxied to the runway and performed an engine runup. During the runup, the pilot noticed that one of the magnetos was not operating properly, so he started to taxi back to his hangar. While taxing back to the hangar, he smelled burning wire insulation, and shortly after the engine stopped. He attempted to restart the engine three times. On the third restart attempt, he noticed that flames were coming out from the right wing near the fuel cap. He immediately exited the airplane and called the fire department. The airplane was destroyed by the fire. Due to the damage caused by the fire, an examination of the airplane components to determine the source of the fire was not possible. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N88LE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N88LE-2025-04-07), registration cancelled 2025-04-07, S/N 1039WEF (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RUTAN Long-EZ - Registry model: [French William E LONG-EZ](https://openairdocs.org/model/french-william-e-long-ez) (registry code 056097W) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1039WEF - Year built: 1986 - Airframe hours: 1018 - Engines: Lycoming O-235L2C 118 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, November 1, 2024 - Airport: SAR, Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 26, 2023; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 385 total, 259 in this make and model, 385 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 9 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: KSAR - METAR: KSAR 011955Z AUTO 14009KT 4SM HZ SCT001 08/02 A3022 RMK AO2 T00820022 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250201000449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250201000449A), Feb 1, 2025: French William E LONG-EZ, Sparta, IL, Destroyed. 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… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199639. 4.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18749639&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18748753&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photo%20array-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.