CHI93DCG01

Witnesses described seeing the amateur built airplane make a normal takeoff and initial climb. Shortly after takeoff, they stated that the engine noise increased to an extremely high RPM and then stopped altogether. The pilot made a steep, descending turn after the engine stopped and the acft collided with terrain. Postaccident inspection disclosed a shattered propeller which was recovered some distance from the accident site, and a missing fuel cap from the right wing tank. The fuel cap was found later in the investigation well away from the crash site and was heavily abraded. The fuel cap was unlatched and was not secured to the tank with a safety chain. The fuel tank is located ahead of, and in line with, the pusher engine and propeller assembly.

History of flight

On June 13, 1993, about 0927 central daylight time, a homebuilt Vari-Eze, N222EG, collided with the ground during a forced landing near the Johnson County Industrial Airport (IXD), Industrial Airport, KS. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed upon impact. The aircraft was being piloted by its owner and builder, Emory W. Greer, Jr., on a VFR flight to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with a fuel stop in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The aircraft had departed runway 17 at Johnson County Industrial Airport approximately one minute prior to the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight was conducted under CFR Part 91.

Witnesses reported that the airplane achieved an altitude of approximately 200-300 feet when a surge of engine speed was heard followed by a lack of engine sound. The airplane immediately entered a left descending turn with a steep descent angle. The bank angle and rate of descent continued unarrested to ground impact.

The aircraft impacted a vacant, plowed field approximately 1,000 feet east-northeast of the threshold of runway 35, on property adjacent to the airport. The fuselage disintegrated upon impact, scattering parts over a 160-foot swath. Both the pilot and passenger were ejected from the airplane and found about 130 feet from the initial point of impact.

Injuries to persons

The pilot and passenger were fatally injured.

Damage to aircraft

Initial ground contact was with the left wingtip and left canard tip. Approximately 30 feet from that initial ground contact point the fuselage struck the ground and the aircraft began to break up. As the break up progressed, parts from the left side of the aircraft, such as the left wing root leading edge, left landing gear attach structure, left bottom cowl, left canard tip and left baggage pod were strewn along the path, followed by a propeller blade, the right baggage pod, wings, pieces of fuselage, seat cushions, the engine and it's attach structure, fuselage remnants and the nose wheel. The canard and main landing gear were found most distant, about 190 feet from the initial ground contact point.

The engine, its attach structure and remnants of the fuselage were found inverted and with the propeller oriented forward, opposite the normal (for a pusher) aft position. All cockpit engine controls had separated from the engine. The carburetor, gascolator bowl, air induction hoses and oil cooler had been torn from the engine. Residual fuel was found in some of the lines and a fuel scent was present. There was no evidence of fire, pre-impact mechanical distress to the engine, or oil leaks.

Both blades of the wooden propeller had separated from the hub portion. While the remnants of one blade were found at the site, only partial remnants of the other blade could be found.

Both wing fuel tanks had been torn open and no fuel was found in either of them, although a fuel scent was present. The fuselage fuel tank was devoid of fuel, but its integrity could not be confirmed. As the wreckage came to a rest, the fuselage tank had been inverted. The fuel tank filler caps for the left wing and fuselage tanks were found securely in position in their adapter rings which were still attached to their tank structures. The adapter ring for the right fuel tank filler cap was still attached to the tank structure but the cap itself could not be located at the site.

The occupants were ejected from the aircraft as the attach points of their seatbelts failed and the structure disintegrated about them. The belts and harnesses themselves, however, were in excellent condition and still fastened. It was not possible to confirm the seats (front or rear) occupied by the pilot and passenger.

Most pieces and components showed evidence of abrasion or contact with dirt as the aircraft broke up. There was no evidence of in-flight or post-crash fire.

Personnel information

The pilot's name was Emory W. Greer, Jr., age 61. He held private pilot certificate number 001924012 with airplane single engine land category and class ratings, and aircraft repairman (experimental) certificate number 002441924. His pilot logbooks showed about 1,273 hours of flight time. He held a valid third class medical certificate issued June 24, 1992. He was to have glasses available for near vision. Mr. Greer's last flight review had been accomplished 47 months prior to the accident in a Cessna 172. His pilot logbook showed no dual instruction logged since his flight review.

The passenger's name was Dorothy Greer, wife of the pilot, Emory Greer, Jr. Mrs. Greer did not hold an airman certificate

Aircraft information

The aircraft was a homebuilt Vari-Eze, N222EG, serial number 914, constructed by the pilot over the period 1976- 1986, and was awarded a special airworthiness certificate on April 5, 1986. It was a tandem two-place, canard planform, designed by Burt Rutan, with fixed main landing gear and a retractable nose wheel. It was powered by a Lycoming 0-235 C2A, normally aspirated, four-cylinder, direct drive, air- cooled engine producing 115 horsepower. The engine was mounted in the rear of the fuselage and powered a single, fixed-pitch wooden propeller in a pusher configuration.

There were two integral wing tanks, each fitted with a fuel filler and cap, with a fuel capacity of 12 gallons each. In addition, there was a header tank in the fuselage, fitted with a fuel filler and cap, with a fuel capacity of 2.5 gallons. All fuel was usable. 13 gallons of 100LL avgas were added to the aircraft just prior to departure, which filled the main tanks. The quantity of fuel in the header tank could not be determined. As the header tank is customarily used for a fuel reserve, it was assumed to be full.

The airframe and power plant were maintained in accordance with FARs. Total time on the airframe was approximately 1128 hours. An annual inspection had been performed by the owner/builder, Mr. Greer, on May 30, 1993. The placarded empty weight of the aircraft was 750 pounds, and the placarded maximum gross weight was 1,100 pounds. The aircraft logbook gave the same description.

Assuming an aircraft basic empty weight of 750 pounds and a full fuel weight of 159 pounds (26.5 gallons x 6 pounds per gallon), a payload of 191 pounds remains. The pilot's medical certificate showed his weight as 154 pounds, leaving only 37 pounds remaining for his wife and baggage before the placarded maximum gross weight was exceeded. Assuming a passenger weight of 125 pounds and baggage weight of 25 pounds, the takeoff weight off the airplane would have been 1,213 pounds.

Meteorological information

The reported weather at Johnson County Industrial Airport, taken at a special observation at approximately 0930 central daylight time, was 1,300 scattered, estimated ceiling 12,000 broken, visibility 8 miles, temperature 72 degrees, dew point missing. The wind was 180 degrees at 12 knots and the altimeter setting was 30.04. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area.

Communications

N222EG was cleared by Johnson County Industrial Air Traffic Control Tower to taxi to Executive Beechcraft at 0850, and called again at 0917 for taxi clearance. The aircraft was cleared for takeoff at 0926 and the pilot acknowledged the clearance. There were no further communications with the aircraft from after takeoff to ground impact.

Wreckage and impact information

On-scene evidence suggested initial ground contact was with the left wingtip and left canard tip, followed about 30 feet thereafter by the fuselage. The ground scar from fuselage impact was oriented on a 028 degree (magnetic) bearing. The most distant part, the main landing gear assembly, was located about 160 feet from the initial fuselage impact, and about