# NTSB CHI94LA313: William P. Bouda Varieze, N54WB, Millard, NE, September 5, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 5, 1994, 12:26 local (17:26 UTC)
- Place: Millard, NE
- Coordinates: 41.209815, -96.119338 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2098&lon=-96.1193&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 24, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 9667
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI94LA313
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9667/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI94LA313

## Probable cause

the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation from vapor lock. A factor associated with the accident is the soft terrain the pilot was forced to land upon.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise
  - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PILOT REPORTED THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER AND THEN STOPPED RUNNING. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A MUDDY FIELD. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ENGINE SEPARATED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION AND SUBSEQUENT OPERATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALY. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED WITH AUTOGAS AND THAT THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80 DEGREES F. THE PILOT BELIEVES THAT THE ENGINE MAY HAVE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION FROM VAPOR LOCK.

## Factual narrative

On September 5, 1994, about 1226 central daylight time, a homebuilt Varieze airplane, N54WB, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing on a muddy field near Millard, Nebraska. The commercial pilot received serious injury, the sole passenger aboard was not injured.  The local, 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without flight plan.

The pilot reported a total loss of engine power while in cruise flight.  He was unable to restart the engine and made a forced landing in a muddy field.  During a telephone interview on November 16, the pilot said he pulled the carburetor heat to the full "on" position as soon as he heard the engine begin to lose power, but the engine continued to lose power and soon stopped running.  The pilot said he believes the engine may have lost power due to vapor lock of the fuel lines. He said the engine was running on autogas, and that the outside air temperature was approximately 80 degrees F.

Postaccident inspection of the engine discovered no preimpact mechanical anomalies.  The engine was started and accelerated with no observed deficiencies.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N54WB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N54WB-1995-01-10), registration cancelled 1995-01-10, S/N 554 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WILLIAM P. BOUDA VARIEZE
- Registry model: [Bouda William P VARI-EZE](https://openairdocs.org/model/bouda-william-p-vari-eze) (registry code 05609YW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 554
- Airframe hours: 163
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: William P. Bouda
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, August 16, 1994, 1 hours before
- Departed: MLE, NE

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 72; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 1,200 total, 160 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: OMA, 14 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 19940905025389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940905025389A), Sep 5, 1994: Amtrru VARIEZE, Millard, NE, Substantial damage. Lost power. Used carb heat no avail. Beleives vapor lock using autogas. Temp 80 degrees. Landed in muddy field.

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.

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