Brewster LONG-EZ N9DZ

Summary

On 4 September 2011 at about 20:52 local time, a Brewster LONG-EZ registered N9DZ, operated by Brewster Donald E, was involved in an accident near Kanab, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 September 2011 at 20:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Kanab, Utah, United States

Coordinates

37.1344, -112.4692

Aircraft

Brewster LONG-EZ

Registration

N9DZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Brewster Donald E

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bryce Canyon Ar → Kanab

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11FA429

1 person died.

The pilot's loss of airplane control during cruise flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot/builder of the experimental amateur-built airplane was flying in the number two position in a flight of three airplanes. Radar data identified the airplane flying about 1.5 nautical miles (nm) behind the lead airplane and about 4 nm ahead of the number three airplane. As they approached their destination, the pilot of the lead airplane asked for a radio frequency change to the destination airport’s common traffic advisory frequency. The accident pilot and the pilot of the number three airplane acknowledged this request. However, the accident pilot never checked in on the new frequency. Radar data at this point identified the airplane in a straight cruise ground track at an altitude of about 500 feet over flat desert terrain. The wreckage was located almost directly beneath the last radar data point. Vegetation and soil disturbance at the initial impact point suggested that the airplane was in a 25-to-30-degree right bank and 15-to-25-degree nose-low pitch attitude at impact. Autopsy and toxicological testing of the pilot revealed no evidence of impairment or incapacitation. Postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The investigation was unable to determine why the pilot failed to maintain control of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.