Amateur-built VERI EZE accident near Palm Springs, California, July 21, 2001
On July 21, 2001 at about 2:01 am local time, a amateur-built VERI EZE, registered N25063, was destroyed in an accident near Palm Springs, California. 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 failure of the builder to balance the elevators per the kit manufacturer's instructions resulting in flutter and in-flight separation of the right elevator.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2001 · about 2:01 am local time
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VERI EZE
- Registration
- N25063 · registry record · serial MM320
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a wind turbine following an in-flight separation of the majority of the right canard and all of the right elevator. The accident occurred in an area that commonly had turbulent conditions. The airplane fragmented; the right canard and elevator were not in the main debris field, and were found about 1/2 mile from the main wreckage. The canard and elevator damage was not symmetrical. The left side remained intact and attached to the fuselage while the right side separated near the fuselage attachment points. All that remained of the right canard was the top skin, which had scattered patches of paint missing. The owner and the pilot built the airplane together. They acquired pieces for the airplane from different sources, and assembled the airplane. The owner did not recall who actually built the elevator. They obtained advice and technical suggestions from various builders of the model at their home field. They did not contact the kit manufacturer during construction. The kit manufacturer maintained close contact with builders through newsletters and a company website. They designed an improvement to the elevator, which incorporated a wider chord. They recommended that owners make the change if they had not flown their airplane. The manufacturer provided a full size diagram so that builders could physically place their piece on top of the drawing to insure that their manufactured piece conformed to the drawing. The accident elevator did not conform to the kit manufacturer's instructions. In a newsletter to builders, the manufacturer informed them that the airplanes would be difficult or even dangerous to fly if the elevators did not have the correct cross section. The kit manufacturer repeatedly stressed the importance of the correct shape, weight, and balance of the elevators in their newsletters. On two occasions, once in 1979 and again in 1988, they noted that builders had installed balance weights in improper locations. In one case the builder experienced flutter, and investigation determined that he added weight to balance a reconstructed elevator. Instead of dividing the added weight between inboard and outboard mass balance points, he placed them all on the inboard point. The manufacturer noted that this was incorrect, and that the balance weights should not all be installed inboard. They stated that any variance of weight, stiffness, or shape from recommended design specifications should be considered dangerous, and builders should discard elevators that did not conform. The accident airplane had a large number of balance weights, and all of them were at the inboard mass balance point.
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: 350 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 2001; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 1:30 am
- Destination: PSP Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from PSP, 7 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 N25063 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.