Event LAX94LA097

Factual narrative

On January 16, 1994, at 1602 hours Pacific standard time, a homebuilt experimental Clunis Long EZ airplane, N345KJ, veered off the runway, ground looped, and collapsed the landing gear while landing at the Camarillo, California, airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local area personal flight. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 1500 hours at Santa Maria, California, on the day of the mishap as a cross country flight to Camarillo. In his written statement, the pilot reported that during the landing roll he had planned to make a turn-off at a taxiway about 2,000 feet from the touchdown point. After touchdown, he began braking and angling toward the turn-off. As the aircraft approached the turn-off, the pilot realized that the aircraft was traveling too fast and applied right brake only to realign the aircraft with the runway. The right brake malfunctioned and the aircraft continued straight, veered left off the runway, and collapsed the nose landing gear during an encounter with soft plowed soil. The pilot reported that the right brake failed due to glazing of the pad. The pilot reported that during the landing roll he had planned to make a turn-off at a taxiway about 2,000 feet from the touchdown point. After touchdown, he began braking and angling toward the turn-off. As the aircraft approached the turn-off, the pilot realized that the aircraft was traveling too fast and applied right brake only to realign the aircraft with the runway. The right brake malfunctioned and the aircraft continued straight, veered left off the runway, and collapsed the nose landing gear during an encounter with soft plowed soil. The pilot reported that the right brake failed due to glazing of the pad. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12