Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, July 29, 1989
On July 29, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N13EG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin (Blackhawk Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY AND FAILED TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR A LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND UNEVEN TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Wisconsin · Blackhawk Field · 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
- N13EG · registry record · serial 235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND RAIN DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AND ELECTED TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE DESTINATION. DURING THE THIRD ATTEMPT TO LAND, RAIN OBSCURED THE APPROACH END OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. THE PILOT LOST SIGHT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN DAMAGED AS IT ROLLED OVER UNEVEN TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 480 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 49 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 25, 1989; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VPZ Valparaiso IN at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,600 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from MSN, 8 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI89DEP08.