Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Concord, California, April 15, 1982
On April 15, 1982 at about 8:20 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N4SN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concord, California. 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1982 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Concord, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N4SN · no longer on the register · serial 133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING LANDING THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, THUS OBSTRUCTING HIS VIEW OF THE RUNWAY. BY THE TIME HE GOT THE NOSE DOWN ENOUGH TO SEE OVER IT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DRIFTING OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. HE APPLIED LEFT BRAKING ACTION TO STEER THE PLANE BACK TO THE RUNWAY, BUT HE WAS TOO LATE TO AVOID THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE FIXED MAIN GEAR AND RETRACTABLE NOSE GEAR WERE DAMAGED.
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: 713 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 167 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Concord CA at 11:20 am
- Destination: Concord CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,768 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.