Johnson VARI-EZE accident near Palo Alto, California, June 5, 1983
On June 5, 1983 at about 10:47 pm local time, a Johnson VARI-EZE, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N36RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto 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
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
- June 5, 1983 · about 10:47 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Johnson VARI-EZE, amateur-built
- Registration
- N36RJ · no longer on the register · serial 130
- 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 IN AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE HIS LANDINGS AND REDUCE THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRSPEED ON FINAL WAS 10 MPH LESS THAN NORMALLY USED. HE WAS ALSO ATTEMPTING TO TOUCHDOWN ON THE NUMBERS AT THE THRESHOLD. THE ACFT'S LANDING GEAR STRUCK A SMALL DIKE APRX 150 FEET PRIOR TO THE RWY THRESHOLD AND COLLAPSED. THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP APRX 100 FEET DOWN THE RWY FROM THE THRESHOLD.
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: 398 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 336 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 215 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 1982
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from PAO
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.
Other NTSB records under N36RJ 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.