Amateur-built VARI-EZE accident near Rice Lake, Wisconsin, August 30, 1986
On August 30, 1986 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built VARI-EZE, registered N41EB, was destroyed in an accident near Rice Lake, Wisconsin (Rice Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 30, 1986 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rice Lake, Wisconsin · Rice Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARI-EZE
- Registration
- N41EB · registry record · serial 855
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE ENGINE OF THIS HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT TURNED TOWARD AN AIRFIELD APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES AWAY, BUT WAS FORCED TO PERFORM A FORCED LANDING ABOUT 5 MILES SHORT OF THIS FIELD BECAUSE, FOLLOWING A LOUD METALLIC BANG, THE ENGINE STOPPED. A RESTART WAS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT DOES NOT HAVE A STARTER. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT REVEALED A LOOSE OIL FILLER CAP (WITH 1 QT OF OIL REMAINING IN THE ENGINE) AND NOTHING ELSE UNUSUAL. THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE TEST RUN DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A STEEL STORAGE TANK DURING LANDING.
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: 310 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 325 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 21, 1986; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 73C Lancaster WI at 3:30 pm
- Destination: HYR Hayward WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:39 pm from RIE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N41EB 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.