Amateur-built VARI-EZ accident near Jeffersonville, Indiana, May 20, 1992
On May 20, 1992 at about 7:20 pm local time, a amateur-built VARI-EZ, registered N64SJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jeffersonville, Indiana (Jefersonville 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
A COLLAPSED CARBURETOR AIR INTAKE DUCT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE SOFT, UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1992 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Jeffersonville, Indiana · Jefersonville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARI-EZ
- Registration
- N64SJ · registry record · serial 1854
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS IN THE TOUCH-AND-GO PATTERN USING RWY 36 WHEN A SLOWER ACFT GOT IN THE PATTERN AHEAD OF HIM. THE PILOT EXECUTED A GO-AROUND, AND APPLIED FULL THROTTLE. WHILE CLIMBING OUT THE ENGINE QUIT COMPLETELY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING ON RWY 14. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY ON SOFT SOD, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT FLEXIBLE CARBURETOR AIR INTAKE DUCT HAD COMPLETELY COLLAPSED.
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
- Flight time: 478 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 275 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 15, 1991
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JVY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: JVY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 35,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.