# NTSB NYC88DNA02: Dillinger Long E-Z, N84WD, Lawrence, MA, September 12, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Final report
- Date: September 12, 1988, 03:30 local (07:30 UTC)
- Place: Lawrence, MA
- Location: 42.7170° N, 71.1235° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LAWRENCE MUNI (LWM), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7170&lon=-71.1235&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report June 10, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35985
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC88DNA02
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35985/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC88DNA02

## Sequence of events

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

- Overrun, landing - roll
  - airport facilities,runway edge lights - not operating (contributing factor)
  - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - light condition - bright night (contributing factor)
  - airspeed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - proper touchdown point - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose over, landing
  - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PLT DEPD PROVINCETOWN ON A RTRN FLT TO HIS HOME ARPT AT APRX 0230 EDT & ARRIVED AT HIS DESTN ABOUT 1 HR LATER. HE RPRTD HE WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE PLT-CTLD RWY LIGHTS. HE CHECKED THE LIGHTED WIND SOCK & DECIDED THE NIGHT WAS BRIGHT & CLEAR ENOUGH TO LAND WITHOUT ACTIVATING THE RWY LIGHTS. THE PLT MADE A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN, BUT SAID HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE HAD LANDED TOO LONG & TOO 'HOT' UNTIL 'IT WAS TOO LATE.'  BEFORE HE COULD STOP THE ACFT, IT WENT OF THE DEP END, THEN NOSED OVER AS IT WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE PLT CRAWLED FM THE ACFT; HOWEVER, HE & THE ACFT WERE NOT FOUND UNTIL A HELICOPTER PLT SAW THEM THE NEXT MORNING, NEARLY 8 HRS LATER. AN ATC SPECIALIST SAID HE CHANGED THE LIGHTING SYS FROM MANUAL TO AUTO CTL AT 0200 EDT & THAT THE AUTO SYS CHECKED NORMAL. ANOTHER ATC SPECIALIST SAID THE LIGHTS WERE ON AUTO CTL WHEN HE ARRIVED THE NEXT MORNING & THAT THEY OPERD NORMALLY.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N84WD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N84WD), registered now, S/N 848, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DILLINGER LONG E-Z
- Registry model: [Dillinger William LONG-EZ](https://openairdocs.org/model/dillinger-william-long-ez) (registry code 056097S) (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: 848
- Airframe hours: 291
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 118 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: William O. Dillinger, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, March 19, 1988, 70 hours before
- Departed: PVC, PROVINCETOWN, MA
- Destination: LWM
- Airport: LWM, Lawrence, runway 23, 4,997 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 956 total, 291 in this make and model, 894 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 50 °F, dew point -0 °F

## 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 19880912038299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880912038299A), Sep 12, 1988: Amtrru VARIEZELONG, Lawrence, MA, Substantial damage. Unable to activate lights. Landed on unlit runway,overshot,ran off end,flipped inverted. Lay beside aircraft alnight

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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