Undetermined · NTSB WPR21FA288
Borom Long-EZ — Tucson, AZ
| Date | July 27, 2021 |
| Location | Tucson, AZ |
| Aircraft | Borom Long-EZ (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Instructional |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Approach Simulated/training event |
| Pilot age | 87 |
| Pilot total time | 1,201 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 1,201 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1, 1 serious |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of policy/procedure-Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring equip/instruments-Instructor/check pilot
What happened
The pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor were conducting a flight review flight in the airplane. After completing some maneuvers, they returned to the airport to accomplish a simulated engine-out, straight-in approach. During the final approach, the airplane was fast on a few occasions, and the pilot used the speed brake to slow down and descend. On short final, the airplane was slow, and the flight instructor told the pilot to use power. Although the pilot added power, the airplane landed hard about 500 ft short of the runway in soft terrain, nosed over, and came to rest inverted.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The speed brake was found extended. It is likely that the slow airspeed on short final approach in combination with the extended speed brake resulted in a sink rate that the pilot was unable to overcome and resulted in the hard landing short of the runway.
The flight instructor elected to conduct the flight review from the rear seat of the tandem seat airplane, which was not equipped with throttle or rudder controls. Additionally, the flight instructor was unable to see the flight instruments and had limited visibility outside the airplane. Due to the limited visibility and the lack of flight instruments and controls in the back seat, the flight instructor was likely unable to adequately assess the airplane’s flight parameters and touchdown point and take appropriate remedial action.