- Date
- November 24, 1989, 12:18 local (19:18 UTC)
- Place
- Aspen, CO
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4985ZBruce Mckinney VARI-EZE
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891124046579A
- Case key
- 17795
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 failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A related factor to the accident was: the mountainous terrain.
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 pilot was on a cross country flight and had made two stops without refueling. After takeoff on the third leg, he radioed that he had an emergency and was returning. The nature of the emergency was not broadcast. The aircraft entered a descending right turn and crashed on a ledge in mountainous terrain. Investigation revealed no evidence of fuel in the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4985Z
- Reported as
- Bruce Mckinney VARI-EZE
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 427
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Frank E. Gernert
- Departed
- ASE
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 687 total · 466 in this make and model · 466 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- ASE, 1 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.