NTSB Factual Report

On May 29 1995, about 1445 mountain daylight time, a homebuilt Long-EZ, N111PC, was destroyed when it collided with the ground at 7,500 feet above mean sea level (msl) near Clines Corner, New Mexico. The airline transport rated pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for this personal cross country flight. According to available information, the flight was returning to Oklahoma from an air show in Utah. After an inquiry was made by concerned relatives, a search was initiated and the aircraft was found on June 2, 1995.

The aircraft impacted into rising terrain and trees and although the aircraft disintegrated on impact, the wreckage was contained in the impact area.

The pilot received a weather brief from Albuquerque Flight Service prior to departing on the accident flight. During the briefing, the pilot was informed that VFR flight was not recommended due to low clouds and fog along his intend route.

About 1440 the pilot made a position report to flight watch and stated he was over Clines Corner, in the clear, cruising at 7,500 feet (msl).

During an interview, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, a witness who was on a road located a mile from the accident site at an altitude of about 7,000 feet msl, stated that he observed an aircraft, which he described as similar to the accident aircraft, flying "about 100 feet above the ground flying in and out of low clouds and fog." The witness further stated that "the airplane sounded normal," and was proceeding in the direction of the accident site from where he observed it.

The pilot was a flight crew employee of U. S. Air and was serving as a captain on Boeing 737 type aircraft. He held ratings in the Boeing 737, Lockheed L-188, and Lockheed L-382. In addition, he was certificated as a flight engineer - turbo jet powered, and as an airframe and power plants mechanic. Other than the flight time provided by the FAA from the pilot's medical certificate application, no flight experience records were located during the course of the investigation.

The aircraft was built by the pilot and an airworthiness certificate, amateur built experimental, was issued on January 16, 1992. An examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector provided no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

An autopsy was conducted by the New Mexico Medical Examiner's Office, Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to their toxicology report, the 0.025% ethanol detected in the blood of the pilot was due to postmortem putrefaction.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT FLYING THE AIRCRAFT INTO IMC CONDITIONS AT AN ALTITUDE WHICH WAS INADEQUATE TO CLEAR SURROUNDING TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE LOW CEILING AND FOG.