# NTSB SEA98LA130: Person Vari EZE, N29NS, Arlington, WA, July 11, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 11, 1998, 14:35 local (21:35 UTC) - Place: Arlington, WA - Coordinates: 48.180267, -121.669723 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.1803&lon=-121.6697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 11, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42824 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA98LA130 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42824/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA130 ## Probable cause A lack of adequate carburetor heat available and overload of the main landing gear. Contributing factors were carburetor icing conditions and soft terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - carburetor heat control - inadequate (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - landing gear - overload (cause) ## Analysis The pilot took of and was approximately one mile north of the airport inbound, when he experienced a total and abrupt loss of power. He reported that the 'carb heat was on prior to departure, and left on for (the) duration of (the) flight' and that he encountered 'mist' in flight. He further reported that the 'mist was unusual, as it was 'coating' the airframe and canopy in a manner not seen before.' Following the loss of power, he then executed a forced landing into an open, soft field. During the landing roll the main landing gear collapsed and the right wing and canard separated from the aircraft. The temperature and dew point were 63 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit respectively, and carburetor icing conditions existed. No mechanical malfunction with the engine was found following the accident, nor was any water found within the carburetor bowl. Fuel was present in the aircraft's fuel tanks and a successful post crash test run of the engine revealed no malfunctions. ## Factual narrative On July 11, 1998, approximately 1435 Pacific daylight time, a homebuilt Vari Eze, N29NS, built, owned and being flown by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when the main landing gear and right wing/canard separated during landing roll in a field approximately one nautical mile north of the threshold of runway 16 at the Arlington Municipal airport, Arlington, Washington. A loss of power and forced landing preceded the landing. The pilot and his two passengers were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, originating from the Arlington Municipal airport (AWO) about 1418. The pilot reported taking off from Arlington for a short local flight and that the "carb heat was on prior to departure, and left on for (the) duration of (the) flight." He also remarked that the "visibility aloft was 5 miles in mist" and that the "mist was unusual, as it was "coating" the airframe and canopy in a manner not seen before." He further reported that "approx(imately) 1432, at 1,800 (feet) MSL, the engine stopped running" and that "no surging was present." "Stoppage was more akin to (the) mags being switched off. Carb heat was confirmed "ON." The pilot attempted to trouble shoot the loss of power and restart the engine without success. He then chose to execute a forced landing in a grass field north of the airport. He reported that he "deployed the nose gear, and touched down at 45-50 KIAS" and that the "field was soft, and did not permit rolling of (the) small MLG tires." During the landing rollout the main landing gear separated as well as the right wing and forward canard. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel on site found at least 14 gallons of fuel in the attached left wing and the carburetor heat box was observed to be damaged. Total aircraft time was estimated to be 5 hours more than the owner/builder's total flight time in the aircraft (235 hours). Post crash examination of the aircraft by several FAA inspectors revealed fuel in both fuel tanks, no evidence of water observed in the carburetor bowl, and no evidence of control discontinuity. The Continental O-200 carburetor equipped engine was test run and demonstrated satisfactory operation with no evidence of fuel flow, air flow or magneto malfunctions. The carburetor heat could not be tested due to the damage to the heat box. The aviation surface weather observation taken at 1435 hours at the Arlington airport (137 feet MSL and altimeter setting of 30.12 inches mercury) reported a temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit and a dew point of 55 degrees Fahrenheit (refer to DIAGRAM I). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N29NS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N29NS-2003-05-07), registration cancelled 2003-05-07, S/N 1638, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PERSON VARI EZE - Registry model: [Person Joseph Mack VARI EZE](https://openairdocs.org/model/person-joseph-mack-vari-eze) (registry code 056905F) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C85 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (registry code 17008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1638 - Airframe hours: 240 - Engines: Continental O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Person, Joseph, M. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: AWO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 389 total, 235 in this make and model, 355 as pilot in command, 37 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,400 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: AWO, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980711016439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980711016439A), Jul 11, 1998: Amtr VARIEZE, Arlington, WA, Substantial damage. While maneuvering to land at Arlington Municipal Airport after a localflight, the engine quit very abruptly. Realizing he could not glide to runway 16, the… 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.