- Date
- May 19, 1985, 14:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Eugene, OR
- Injuries
- 3 serious, 3 minor; on the ground: 2 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N37993Ringsdorf-Mcconnell VARI-EZE
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850519018019A
- Case key
- 40068
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical
Fuel tank selector position - not followedCause
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequateCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - rough/unevenFactor
Analysis
The acft has a fuselage fuel tank which holds only two gallons as well as two wing fuel tanks. The pilot departed the airport on the fuselage tank and the engine ceased operating before he realized he needed to change the fuel selector. An unsuccessful restart was attempted followed by a forced landing straight ahead into trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N37993
- Reported as
- Ringsdorf-Mcconnell VARI-EZE
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 46
- Airframe hours
- 111
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bryce Ringsdorf
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · May 7, 1984 · 187 hours before
- Departed
- EUG · Eugene, OR
- Airport
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,925 total · 594 in this make and model · 2,070 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EUG, 10 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.