- Date
- July 26, 1987, 13:54 local (20:54 UTC)
- Place
- Paso Robles, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N99LEScharschmidt LONG-EZ
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870726038709A
- Case key
- 25350
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Shortly after take-off on runway 01 the engine lost all power. Having gained 500' AGL the pilot attempted to turn 180 degrees and land on runway 19. Realizing he wouldn't make it to runway 19, the pilot decided to attempt to land in an open field to the north. The pilot said he 'saw wires (powerlines) at last record- couldn't avoid, hit pole with outer 3' of wing. Crashed in field 75' from pole.' The cause of the engine power loss was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99LE
- Reported as
- Scharschmidt LONG-EZ
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 275149080
- Airframe hours
- 62
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Howard J. Scharscmidt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 11, 1987 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- PRB · Paso Robles, CA
- Destination
- MRY · Monterey, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 184 total · 62 in this make and model · 184 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PRB, 2 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.