So Fast, So Light, So Unusual
They had tried to call Denver back when they saw it on the screen, but his signal had vanished at 1728 hours (5:28 p.m.). “There had been no indication of any trouble.” Witnesses reported seeing Denver’s plane flying 500 feet above the water when it suddenly crashed. Then, 200 yards off Point Pinos, it disintegrated on impact. Because the plane is so fast, light, and unusual, veteran pilots of similar planes believe several factors could have caused the crash.
So Fast, So Light, So Unusual
Anything But Safe and Reliable
Some speculated that if the front wing had broken off, the small plane would have lost control and plummeted to the ground. According to a veteran Long-EZ pilot, Denver could have been so preoccupied with properly setting his radar systems that he didn’t notice the plane heading toward the sea. Denver’s experimental plane turned out to be anything but safe and dependable. Between 1983 and 1996, the Long-EZ aircraft were involved in 61 accidents, according to Canard Aviators, a group of home-built aircraft enthusiasts. Nineteen of the 61 incidents resulted in fatalities.
Anything But Safe And Reliable