Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near North Augusta, South Carolina, August 9, 2009
On August 9, 2009 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N808SA, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near North Augusta, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2009 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- North Augusta, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N808SA · registry record · serial 1654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the amateur-built airplane stated that he was having problems with “dirt dabbers” getting into the fuel vent on his airplane, and he installed a black rubber cap on the fuel vent. The pilot conducted a preflight inspection prior to the accident flight; however, he failed to remove the cap. He departed and was in cruise flight at 2,000 feet mean sea level, paralleling an interstate highway when the engine lost power. The pilot further stated that he immediately knew what happened. "The engine had quit because the air could not enter the fuel tank due to the blocked fuel vent line, which caused the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation." Examination of the airplane revealed the fuel vent was blocked with a black cap. No other anomalies were noted with the airframe, flight controls, fuel system, engine assembly, or associated components.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Inadequate inspection
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 418 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 17, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 680 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 1, 2009; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S17 Graniteville SC at 9:40 pm
- Destination: S17 Graniteville SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from AGS, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.