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More from The Beach Bears
Song by John Denver.
A semi sad song, better for my vocal range.
This more what you had in mind,
angelbear_oh?
A semi sad song, better for my vocal range.
This more what you had in mind,
angelbear_oh?
Category Music / 70s
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 120 x 106px
File Size 4.52 MB
It wasn't a glider, Max. John Denver's plane was an amateur-built Rutan Long-EZ, a canard-design with the horizontal stabilizer and elevator at the front of the plane, and the engine at the rear. The engine in his plane was a Lycoming O-320 that developed 150 hp, slightly larger than the approved engine for the plane of a Continental O-200 (100 hp) or Lycoming O-235 (115 hp). However, other Long-EZ's have also flown with the same engine without adverse effects other than a reduction in usable payload due to the engine's higher weight and added weight in the nose to keep the center of gravity in the proper spot.
All indications are that the craft ran out of gas in one tank (it has two tanks, one in each wing), and the tank selector stuck between tanks. This let the fuel pump suck air from the empty tank, cutting the flow from the tank that still had gas in it.
However, the condition of the wreckage indicates he lost control of the craft and that it impacted the water at almost a straight nose-down attitude. Witnesses reported seeing the EZ in a bank just prior to the crash. The NTSB listed "the probable cause of this accident was the pilot's diversion of attention from the operation of the airplane..." Plain and simple, he forgot the cardinal rule in any emergency situation, "Fly The Plane." If he had made a water landing, the Long-EZ's fiberglass and styrofoam construction would've kept it afloat for quite some time, probably more than enough to effect a rescue.
All indications are that the craft ran out of gas in one tank (it has two tanks, one in each wing), and the tank selector stuck between tanks. This let the fuel pump suck air from the empty tank, cutting the flow from the tank that still had gas in it.
However, the condition of the wreckage indicates he lost control of the craft and that it impacted the water at almost a straight nose-down attitude. Witnesses reported seeing the EZ in a bank just prior to the crash. The NTSB listed "the probable cause of this accident was the pilot's diversion of attention from the operation of the airplane..." Plain and simple, he forgot the cardinal rule in any emergency situation, "Fly The Plane." If he had made a water landing, the Long-EZ's fiberglass and styrofoam construction would've kept it afloat for quite some time, probably more than enough to effect a rescue.
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