Amateur-built VARI-EZE accident near Olathe, Kansas, June 13, 1993
On June 13, 1993 at about 3:27 pm local time, a amateur-built VARI-EZE, registered N222EG, was destroyed in an accident near Olathe, Kansas (Johnson County Industrial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to secure a fuel cap during the preflight inspection of the airplane, and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the emergency landing. Factors associated with the accident are the unsecured fuel cap and the foreign object (fuel cap) damage to the propeller blades.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 1993 · about 3:27 pm local time
- Place
- Olathe, Kansas · Johnson County Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARI-EZE
- Registration
- N222EG · registry record · serial 914
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES DESCRIBED SEEING THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE MAKE A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE NOISE INCREASED TO AN EXTREMELY HIGH RPM AND THEN STOPPED ALTOGETHER. THE PILOT MADE A STEEP, DESCENDING TURN AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION DISCLOSED A SHATTERED PROPELLER WHICH WAS RECOVERED SOME DISTANCE FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE, AND A MISSING FUEL CAP FROM THE RIGHT WING TANK. THE FUEL CAP WAS FOUND LATER IN THE INVESTIGATION WELL AWAY FROM THE CRASH SITE AND WAS HEAVILY ABRADED. THE FUEL CAP WAS UNLATCHED AND WAS NOT SECURED TO THE TANK WITH A SAFETY CHAIN. THE FUEL TANK IS LOCATED AHEAD OF, AND IN LINE WITH, THE PUSHER ENGINE AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLY.
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: 1,273 hours in all; 1,128 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: JBR Jonesboro AR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:30 pm from IXD
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 N222EG 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.