Event WPR26LA030

Factual narrative

On October 20, 2025, about 1603 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Rutan Long-EZ, N8183K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Long Beach, California. The pilot was seriously injured, and a pedestrian on the ground was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he had flown the airplane from the Compton/Woodley Airport (CPM), Compton, California, to French Valley Airport (F70), Murrieta/Temecula, California, as part of a flight of two airplanes. About 1530, the flight of two airplanes departed F70, with an intended destination of CPM. The pilot stated that the flight from F70 to the Corona area was normal and the engine was running smoothly. As he made a turn to the west to follow highway 91, he saw the fuel flow had dropped from 7 gallons per hour to 5 gallons per hour. The engine was still running normally but he radioed the lead airplane regarding the unusual fuel flow. The pilot stated that before reaching Fullerton, fuel flow had dropped to 3 gallons per hour, but the engine continued to run smoothly. The flight of two airplanes continued toward CPM and a few seconds later, the engine “throttled back.” He switched the fuel tank, turned on the electric boost pump, and enriched the mixture. The engine surged and decreased to idle, followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted several times to restart the engine and diverted to Long Beach Airport/Daughtery Field (LGB), Long Beach, California. The pilot configured the airplane for best glide airspeed and noted it was descending about 700 ft per minute. When he realized that he would be able to make it to LGB, he initiated a forced landing to a nearby park. He stated that as he approached the park, he did not see anyone in the flight path of the airplane. During the forced landing to the park, the airplane struck a pedestrian. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12