Amateur-built RUTAN VARI EZE accident near Statesville, North Carolina, May 1, 1994
On May 1, 1994 at about 7:45 pm local time, a amateur-built RUTAN VARI EZE, registered N41ES, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesville, North Carolina (Statesville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper positioning of the fuel selector, which resulted in fuel starvation during the initial climb after takeoff. A factor was a ditch adjacent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1994 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Statesville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RUTAN VARI EZE RUTAN VARI
- Registration
- N41ES · no longer on the register · serial 676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE QUIT. A FORCED LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH A DITCH AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RE-LAND ON THE REMAINDER OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE AUXILIARY TANK POSITION TO THE OFF POSITION INSTEAD OF THE MAIN TANK POSITION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,535 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 333 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 909 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1993; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,110 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: W44 Asheboro NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,004 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.