# NTSB CHI01LA029: Fowler Varieze, N82JF, Iowa City, IA, October 22, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 22, 2000, 08:20 local (13:20 UTC) - Place: Iowa City, IA - Coordinates: 41.649528, -91.530441 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6495&lon=-91.5304&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 28, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50592 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI01LA029 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50592/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA029 ## Probable cause the inadequate preflight by the pilot which resulted in the fuel drain remaining partially open. Factors to the accident were the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, the partially open fuel drain, the unsuitable terrain for landing encountered by the pilot during the forced landing, and the corn crop. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, climb - to cruise - fuel system,drain - open (contributing factor) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - crop (contributing factor) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The airplane lost engine power during a climb from traffic pattern altitude and the pilot executed a forced landing into a cornfield. The pilot stated, "Because of the low altitude at which the engine ceased operating, I was unable to consider any attempt to make the airport and immediately selected the best available field. The only field long enough contained standing corn about 7' in height. The aircraft was damaged while landing in the corn." The pilot reported, "I discovered subsequently that a fuel-drain petcock had been installed that was of a different type than that which had been in the aircraft previously. It was not appropriate for the location in the aircraft because the petcock position in the Vari-Eze is well up under the cowling and is difficult to observe visually. Draining the fuel sump must be done primarily by feel. The petcock had stuck partially open. I believe the that the header tank was drained through the partially open petcock during the first few minutes of flight." ## Factual narrative On October 22, 2000, at 0820 central daylight time (cdt), an experimental-amateur built Fowler Varieze, N82JF, sustained substantial damage when it nosed-over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while in cruise climb. Visual metrological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported minor injuries. The flight departed the Iowa City Municipal Airport, Iowa City, Iowa, at 0817, for the local test flight. According to the pilot's written statement, the purpose of the flight was to evaluate engine cooling performance subsequent to the engine being overhauled and a modification to the engine exhaust system. The pilot reported, "I climbed to pattern altitude, 800' AGL [above ground level] and leveled off to observe the engine temperature. I observed engine temperatures in the normal range, very efficient cooling, so I turned away from the airport. I retracted the nosewheel and advanced throttle to climb above pattern altitude. At this point the engine faltered and stopped. There was no windmilling of the propeller, because the propeller is a short-bladed pusher type mounted in the aft section of the fuselage." The pilot stated, "Because of the low altitude at which the engine ceased operating, I was unable to consider any attempt to make the airport [Iowa City Municipal Airport] and immediately selected the best available field. The only field long enough contained standing corn about 7' in height. The aircraft was damaged while landing in the corn." The pilot stated, "After the engine stopped there was not sufficient time to diagnose the problem, switch tanks and re-start the engine. I felt it was best to give priority to controlling the aircraft, selecting the best field available and preparing and performing the best possible forced landing under the circumstances." The pilot reported, "I discovered subsequently that a fuel-drain petcock had been installed that was of a different type than that which had been in the aircraft previously. It was not appropriate for the location in the aircraft because the petcock position in the Vari-Eze is well up under the cowling and is difficult to observe visually. Draining the fuel sump must be done primarily by feel. The petcock had stuck partially open. I believe the that the header tank was drained through the partially open petcock during the first few minutes of flight." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N82JF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N82JF-2013-06-05), registration cancelled 2013-06-05, S/N 1048, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Fowler VARIEZE - Registry model: [Fowler John A VARIEZE](https://openairdocs.org/model/fowler-john-a-varieze) (registry code 05609EF) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1048 - Airframe hours: 342 - Engines: Continental O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: John M Maher - Registered owner: John A Fowler - Estate - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 26, 2000, 4 hours before - Departed: IOW ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 2,151 total, 16 in this make and model, 1,989 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 3 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 122 °F, dew point 118 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: IOW, 4 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20001022041069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001022041069A), Oct 22, 2000: Amtr VARIEZE, Iowa City, IA, No damage. (-23)According to the pilot, he departed towa city, IA at approximately 08:15 for a test flight following maintenance on engine baffeling to correct a cooling… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.