Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Iowa City, Iowa, October 22, 2000
On October 22, 2000 at about 1:20 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N82JF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iowa City, Iowa. 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
the inadequate preflight by the pilot which resulted in the fuel drain remaining partially open. Factors to the accident were the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, the partially open fuel drain, the unsuitable terrain for landing encountered by the pilot during the forced landing, and the corn crop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2000 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Iowa City, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N82JF · registry record · serial 1048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lost engine power during a climb from traffic pattern altitude and the pilot executed a forced landing into a cornfield. The pilot stated, "Because of the low altitude at which the engine ceased operating, I was unable to consider any attempt to make the airport and immediately selected the best available field. The only field long enough contained standing corn about 7' in height. The aircraft was damaged while landing in the corn." The pilot reported, "I discovered subsequently that a fuel-drain petcock had been installed that was of a different type than that which had been in the aircraft previously. It was not appropriate for the location in the aircraft because the petcock position in the Vari-Eze is well up under the cowling and is difficult to observe visually. Draining the fuel sump must be done primarily by feel. The petcock had stuck partially open. I believe the that the header tank was drained through the partially open petcock during the first few minutes of flight."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,151 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,989 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 342 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 2000; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 720 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IOW at 1:17 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 118°F (48°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from IOW, 4 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.