Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Tullahoma, Tennessee, April 16, 1995
On April 16, 1995 at about 12:30 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N418EZ, was destroyed in an accident near Tullahoma, Tennessee (Tullahoma 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 INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN A TAKEOFF WITH AN UNSECURED CANOPY, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1995 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tullahoma, Tennessee · Tullahoma Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N418EZ · no longer on the register · serial 1418
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES WERE NORMAL, EXCEPT THAT HE APPARENTLY FORGOT TO SECURE THE CANOPY. AT ABOUT 30 TO 40 FEET AGL, DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE CANOPY OPENED RAPIDLY. HE RETARDED THE THROTTLE, AND GRABBED THE CANOPY. HE COULD CLOSE THE CANOPY, BUT COULD NOT MANIPULATE THE LATCHES. AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE WERE LOST, AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED, AND THE PILOT EGRESSED THE AIRPLANE.
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
- Flight time: 734 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: THA at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:52 pm from THA
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.