Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Youngstown, Ohio, January 9, 1983
On January 9, 1983 at about 9:01 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N441EZ, was destroyed in an accident near Youngstown, Ohio (Youngstown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 1983 · about 9:01 pm local time
- Place
- Youngstown, Ohio · Youngstown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N441EZ · no longer on the register · serial 1807
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH MINIMUM FUEL TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. AFTER 20 MINUTES OF FLIGHT HE TURNED ON FINAL APPROACH AND ADVANCED THE THROTTLE WITH NO POWER RESPONSE. DUE TO LOW ALTITUDE AND A WOODED AREA ON FINAL HE ATTEMPTED A RIGHT TURN TO LAND ON A FREEWAY, TOUCHED DOWN SHORT AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE EARLY MODELS OF VARIEZE AIRCRAFT ARE SUBJECT TO UNPORTING THE FUEL TANK LINE WHEN OPERATING WITH MINUMUM FUEL. LATER MODELS HAVE A TANK SUMP TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,503 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 9,475 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1982; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 7,493 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.