# NTSB LAX00LA010: Mintz Vari EZE, N86KM, Jean, NV, October 17, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 17, 1999, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC) - Place: Jean, NV - Coordinates: 35.750862, -115.530868 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7509&lon=-115.5309&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47613 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX00LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47613/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA010 ## Probable cause The failure of the engine cylinder head due to detonation and subsequent over temperature for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, climb - to cruise - engine assembly,cylinder - overtemperature (cause) - engine assembly,cylinder - failure,total (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis The pilot departed runway 2L on a downwind departure and the engine began to run rough. The pilot turned toward the runway but had insufficient altitude and power to make the airport. The aircraft landed short of the runway in desert terrain and sustained substantial damage. In his statement, the pilot said the cylinder head on the Rotorway RW-100 engine failed and opened a hole over one of the cylinders. The FAA inspector who examined the airplane on-scene reported that the hole had the appearance of a 'burn through.' The inspection could not determine the underlying reason for the cylinder head failure. ## Factual narrative On October 17, 1999, at 0920 hours Pacific daylight time, an amateur-built Mintz Vari-eze, N86KM, landed in the desert short of runway 2L at the Jean, Nevada, airport, following a pilot reported rough running engine. The aircraft, constructed, owned, and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and one passenger, the sole occupants, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The personal flight originated at the Jean airport about 0900 for a local area personal flight. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors from the Las Vegas, Nevada, Flight Standards District Office, the pilot was giving rides as part of an Experimental Aircraft Association Discover Aviation program. The pilot departed runway 2L and was on a downwind departure when the engine began to run rough. The pilot turned toward the runway but had insufficient altitude and power to make the airport. The aircraft landed short of the runway in desert terrain. In his statement, the pilot said the cylinder head on the Rotorway RW-100 engine failed and opened a hole over one of the cylinders. The FAA inspector who examined the airplane on-scene reported that the hole had the appearance of a "burn through." The inspection could not determine the underlying reason for the cylinder head failure. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N86KM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N86KM-2013-06-07), registration cancelled 2013-06-07, S/N 1, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MINTZ VARI EZE - Registry model: [Mintz Kenneth R VARI EZE](https://openairdocs.org/model/mintz-kenneth-r-vari-eze) (registry code 05690K5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotorway RW-100 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotorway-rw-100-series) (registry code 55001, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1 - Airframe hours: 502 - Engines: Rotorway RW-100 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Kenneth R. Mintz - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, February 21, 1999, 48 hours before - Departed: OL7 - Airport: 0L7, Jean, runway 2L, 4,600 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 594 total, 469 in this make and model, 521 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 9 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 14 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: LAS, 20 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 19991017032459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991017032459A), Oct 17, 1999: Amtr VARIEZE, Jean, NV, Substantial damage. (.19) On October 17, 1999, at 0920 hours pacific daylight time, an amateur-built mintz vari-eze, N86KM, landed in the desert short of runway 2L at the Jean,… 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.