# Incident 19960112002339I: Varga 2150AMORISY, Mesa, AZ, January 12, 1996

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 12, 1996, 11:27 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4223° N, 111.8226° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Mesa, AZ, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4223&lon=-111.8226&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8348J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8348J-2017-10-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Varga 2150A (registry code 9350102, https://openairdocs.org/model/varga-2150a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VARGA 2150AMORISY
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 800 in this make and model, 33 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960112002339I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND REPORTED HE WAS ON THE RETURN LEG OF A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM SEDONA, ARIZONA TO MESA, ARIZONA WHEN THE ENGINE OF HIS VARGA, N8348J FAILED. HE ADVISED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO RE-START THE ENGINE TO NO AVAIL, AND THAT TIME SUSPECTED HE WAS OUT OF FUEL. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE TO AN ABANDONED RACING STRIP AND IN DOING SO DAMAGED THE NOSE AND MAIN LANDING GEAR ALONG WITH THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT STATED HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE RAN OUT OF GAS BECAUSE HE HAD PLANNED THIS FLIGHT THOROUGHLY AND HAD TAKE OFF AFTER RECEIVING FUEL WHICH ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT TIME AND AMOUNT OF FUEL HE PURCHASED SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH A REVIEW OF HIS RECEIPTS, FLIGHT PLAN AND THE TACH TIME BY INSPECTORS REVEALED THE SAME CONCLUSION. THE AIRCRAFT EXHIBITED NO SIGN OF FUEL LEAKAGE NOR ANY VISIBLE SIGNS OF FUEL PUMP OR OTHER PROBLEMS. IN THE INTERVIEW WITH THIS PILOT IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE VARGA DOES HAVE A HISTORY OF VENTING OUT FUEL TO AN EXCESS DUE TO A POSSIBLE DESIGN PROBLEM WITHIN THE SYSTEM. THIS INSPECTOR ALONG WITH AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR INTERVIEWED SEVERAL OTHER VARGA OWNERS AND LEARNED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THIS INCIDENT WILL BE CLOSED OUT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE VENTING PROBLEM IS BEING CONTINUED TO DETERMINE IF A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE IN ORDER.

## Other reports on N8348J (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19820521033189I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820521033189I), May 21, 1982: Varga 2150AMORISY (N8348J), Mineral Wells, TX, Minor damage. Distracted by helicopters. Lost control of landing. Nosed up in soft surface, off edge of runway.
- [Accident 19800510012529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800510012529A), May 10, 1980: Varga 2150AMORISY (N8348J), Valdosta, GA, Substantial damage. Made hard landing. ELT activated. Distracted pilot. Airplane bounced, stalled, hit runway.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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