Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Cleveland, Ohio, December 14, 1994
On December 14, 1994 at about 10:09 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N59MW, was destroyed in an accident near Cleveland, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE RIGHT ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE RESULTING IN THE DISCONNECTION OF THE ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBES AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 1994 · about 10:09 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N59MW · no longer on the register · serial 618
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A LEFT BANK. PILOT CONTROL INPUT WOULD NOT CORRECT THE BANKING. THE AIRPLANE MADE TWO COMPLETE CIRCLES AND THEN IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 1/4 MILE PAST THE END OF THE DEPARTED RUNWAY. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBES, CONNECTED BY A BOLT, WERE DISCONNECTED. THE RIGHT ELEVATOR WAS JAMMED IN THE DOWN POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE TORQUE TUBES REVEALED THE RIGHT ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE HAD A FATIGUE CRACK AROUND THE BOLT HOLE AREA ALLOWING IT TO DISCONNECT FROM THE LEFT ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 612 hours in all; 333 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 526 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 720 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1994; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from CLE, 1 miles away
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.