# Accident 20020616017549A: Amtr VARIVIGGEN, Urbana, IL, June 16, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 16, 2002, 10:30 local time
- Place: Urbana, IL
- Airport: Frasca Field Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.1001° N, 88.2008° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1001&lon=-88.2008&mi=10
- Aircraft: N915D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N915D-2002-09-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Jacobs Dennis R RUTAN VARI VIGGEN (registry code 056091K, https://openairdocs.org/model/jacobs-dennis-r-rutan-vari-viggen) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR VARIVIGGEN
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 2,900 total, 250 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI02LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA166) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020616017549A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON JUNE 16, 2002, AT 1030 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A RUTAN VARI VIGGEN, N915D, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING IMPACT WITH TERRAIN ON INITIAL CLIMB FROM RUNWAY 27 (4,000 FEET BY 57 FEET, CONCRETE), AT THE FRASCA FIELD AIRPORT (C16), URBANA, ILLINOIS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS EN ROUTE TO THE ANDY BARNHART MEMORIAL AIRPORT (3OH0), CARLISLE, OHIO. (-23) ON JUNE 16, 2002 AT ABOUT 1030 CDT THE PILOT/OWNER OF A VARIVIGGEN AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT, REGISTRATION NUMBER N915D WAS DEPARTING RUNWAY 27 AT FRASCA FIELD (C16) URBANA, ILLINOIS FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE GROUND ROLL WAS ABOUT 3000 FEET AND THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO AN ESTIMATED 200 FEET ALTITUDE AND STARTED A RIGHT TURN. APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES THROUGH THE TURN THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO INVERTED AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE WITH THE LEFT WING DOWN SLIGHTLY. THE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI02LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA166), Jun 16, 2002: Jacobs Rutan Vari Viggen (N915D), Urbana, IL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff. Additional factors included the partial loss of engine power due to an excessively rich mixture as a result of a bad accelerator pump housing seal, and the…

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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