Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near West Lafayette, Indiana, March 2, 1983
On March 2, 1983, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N28JF, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Lafayette, Indiana (Purdue University 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 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
- March 2, 1983
- Place
- West Lafayette, Indiana · Purdue University · 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
- N28JF · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED FAST AND WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AFTER ABOUT 3000 FEET OF ROLL. A COLLISION WITH VASI LIGHTS STOPPED THE VARIEZE. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST SOLO FLIGHT IN THIS TYPE AIRCRAFT. SHE HAD A VERY SHORT 1/2 HOUR CHECKOUT BY THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 637 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 509 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 346 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1982; 346 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,820 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 6,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from LAF
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.
Other NTSB records under N28JF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.