- Date
- April 18, 1991, 22:08 local (Apr 19, 1991, 03:08 UTC)
- Place
- Superior, WI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N87VEVarieze 001
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report February 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910418011469A
- Case key
- 14849
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's poor planning and decision making which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The homebuilt airplane impacted terrain approximately one mile short of the approach end of the runway at the destination airport. Post accident investigation revealed no evidence of pre impact mechanical malfunction. Investigators found no evidence of fuel in the fuel system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N87VE
- Reported as
- Varieze 001
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Michael James Undis
- Registered owner
- Michael James Undis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport
- SUW · Superior
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 200 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 9° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DLH, 12 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.