# NTSB DEN05LA099: Campbell Long EZ, N84RW, Santa Fe, NM, June 24, 2005

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 24, 2005, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place: Santa Fe, NM
- Coordinates: 35.599796, -106.109092 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5998&lon=-106.1091&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 61814
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05LA099
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61814/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA099

## Probable cause

the inflight collision with a bird(s).

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, cruise - normal
  - object - bird(s) (cause)

## Analysis

The pilot was cruising at 120 knots at 9,500 feet msl when a bird struck his airplane.  The impact separated the propeller blades at midspan.  One or both blades struck the trailing edge of the right aileron, bounced off, then hit the right vertical stabilizer, which also separated in flight.  The pilot made an uneventful emergency landing.

## Factual narrative

On June 24, 2005, about 1000 mountain daylight time, a Campbell Long EZ, N84RW, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with a bird while in cruise flight approximately 5 miles west of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.  The personal cross-country flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan.  The pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. The flight originated at Double Eagle Airport (AEG), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was en route to Los Alamos (LAM), New Mexico.

According to the pilot, he was cruising at 120 knots at 9,500 feet msl when he struck a bird. The impact separated the propeller blades at midspan. One or both blades then struck the trailing edge of the right aileron, bounced off, then hit the right vertical stabilizer, which also separated in flight. The pilot made an uneventful emergency landing at Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF).

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N84RW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N84RW), registered now, S/N 997 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Campbell Long EZ
- Registry model: [Campbell Robert W LONG-EZ](https://openairdocs.org/model/campbell-robert-w-long-ez) (registry code 05609YB) (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: 997
- Airframe hours: 1700
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, November 1, 2004, 200 hours before
- Departed: AEG, Albuquerque, NM
- Destination: LAM, Los Alamos, NM

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 1, 2003; seat: front; flight hours: 1,040 total, 900 in this make and model, 1,040 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observed at: SAF

## 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 20050624011829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050624011829A), Jun 24, 2005: Amtr LONGEZ, Santa Fe, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 24, 2005, at 0950 MST, an amateur built long ez, N84RW, registered to the pilot [privacy data omitted] struck a bird in cruise flight 5 miles…

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.

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