# NTSB DEN05LA123: Forbes Rutan Long EZE, N16WF, Albuquerque, NM, August 7, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 7, 2005, 11:10 local (17:10 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.40361, -106.61528 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4036&lon=-106.6153&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 62152 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05LA123 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62152/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA123 ## Probable cause a total electrical failure due to a short in the master relay, causing the main fuse to open. Contributing factors included an inadequate electrical design by the airplane's builder, a low-output alternator, a cement wall, and unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - electrical system,electric relay - shorted (cause) - acft/equip,inadequate design, manufacturer (contributing factor) - electrical system,fuse - open (cause) - electrical system,alternator - output low (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, landing - object - wall/barricade (contributing factor) - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis On final approach to the runway, the pilot lowered the landing gear and visually inspected it through the sight glass to make sure it was down and locked. About 20 seconds later, there was a sudden and total electrical failure and the engine lost power. The pilot switched from the MAIN battery to the AUX battery in an attempt to restore electrical and engine power, but left it selected for only about 2 to 3 seconds. He then switched back to the MAIN battery and concentrated on the emergency forced landing. He could not recall if the propeller was windmilling at the time (a windmilling propeller would be necessary to start the engine using AUX battery power). The pilot made a forced landing on an access road and collided with a wall causing substantial damage. The airplane was equipped with a dual electronic ignition system, not magnetos. A constant source of electrical power was required for ignition. In the event of an electrical power loss, the engine would lose power. An FAA avionics inspector said the 5-amp main fuse had opened, probably due to a shorted wire inside the master relay, resulting in an over-current condition. This caused the master relay to de-energize and cut power to the bus. The alternator, which was tested to 10.5 volt output, has a nominal output of 13.8 volts. Minimal output to charge the battery is 12.5 volts. The FAA inspector's statement noted that the cockpit-mounted master switch activated the positive side of the master relay solenoid. Standard industry practice was to wire the positive side of the master relay to the unfused input from the battery, and then switch the negative side using the master switch. Some commercially available solenoids have the positive terminal wired to the battery input. ## Factual narrative On August 7, 2005, approximately 1110 mountain daylight time, a Forbes' Rutan Long EZE, N16WF, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal cross-country flight was being conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The pilot was not injured. The flight originated at Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Las Vegas, Nevada, approximately 0720 Pacific daylight time. According to the pilot, the airplane was serviced with 24 gallons of 100LL fuel, for a total of 45 gallons, before departing Las Vegas. He said the planned flight would consume approximately 26 gallons of fuel. He departed HND approximately 0720 and climbed to his VFR cruising altitude of 9,500 feet msl. Approximately 8 miles from ABQ, he began a descent to traffic pattern altitude. Approximately 3 miles from ABQ, he slowed from 140 knots to less than 100 knots in order to complete the BEFORE LANDING checklist and lower the landing gear. When the airplane was on a 1 mile final approach to runway 08, he lowered the landing gear and visually inspected it through the sight glass to make sure it was down and locked. About 20 seconds later, there was a sudden and total electrical failure and the engine lost power. The pilot switched from the MAIN battery to the AUX battery in an attempt to restore electrical and engine power, but left it selected for only about 2 to 3 seconds. He then switched back to the MAIN battery and concentrated on the emergency forced landing. He could not recall if the propeller was windmilling at the time (a windmilling propeller would be necessary to start the engine using AUX battery power). Concerned that he might hit a fence at the approach end of the runway, the pilot elected to land on a nearby access road. After touching down, the left wing struck a cement retaining wall. The airplane pivoted to the left and the main landing was gear torn off. The airplane then collided with the curb and gutter. Postaccident inspection revealed the nose gear structural spars were buckled, the bottom fuselage skin and winglets were scraped and ground down, and the fuselage was buckled. The airplane was equipped with a dual electronic ignition system, not magnetos. A constant source of electrical power was required for ignition. In the event of an electrical power loss, the engine would lose power. According to an FAA avionics inspector who examined the electrical system, the 5-amp main fuse had opened, probably due to a shorted wire inside the master relay, resulting in an over-current condition. This caused the master relay to de-energize, and cut power to the bus. The alternator, which tested to 10.5 volt output, has a nominal output of 13.8 volts. Minimal output to charge the battery is 12.5 volts. The FAA inspector's statement noted that the cockpit-mounted master switch activated the positive side of the master relay solenoid. Standard industry practice was to wire the positive side of the master relay to the unfused input from the battery, and then switch the negative side using the master switch. Some commercially available solenoids internally wire the positive terminal to the battery input. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N16WF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N16WF), registered now, S/N 049, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Forbes Rutan Long EZE - Registry model: [Forbes William E RUTAN LONG EZE](https://openairdocs.org/model/forbes-william-e-rutan-long-eze) (registry code 05602QY) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 049 - Airframe hours: 542.6 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-B2C 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: On FIle - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, September 1, 2004, 72.6 hours before - Departed: HND, Las Vegas, NV - Destination: ABQ, Albequerque, NM - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: ABQ, Albuquerque Intl. Sunport, runway 8, 13,793 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; military, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2004; seat: front; flight hours: 4,610 total, 100 in this make and model, 2,829 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: ABQ ## 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 20050807016919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050807016919A), Aug 7, 2005: Amtr LONGEZE, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On August 7, 2005, at 1110 MDT, a rutan long eze, N16WF, registered to the pilot [privacy data omitted] incurred an electrical and engine failure while… 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.