Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near California City, California, September 2, 1989
On September 2, 1989 at about 7:00 am local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N393D, was destroyed in an accident near California City, 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 WING FAILED DUE TO THE PILOT/OWNERS OVERTORQUING THE WING BOLTS AND THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE WING ATTACH PLATES/CONES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1989 · about 7:00 am local time
- Place
- California City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N393D · registry record · serial 393
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC/OWNER/BUILDER DEPARTED CALIFORNIA CITY, CA, ON A LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT. A GND WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS AT A HIGH ALTITUDE IN LEVEL FLIGHT WHEN SUDDENLY THE WINGS FOLDED. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL INTO A LAKE BED. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT ONE SET OF THE WING ATTACHMENT PLATE TAPER CONES AND THE RETAINING BOLTS WERE MISSING. THE REMAINING TAPER CONES WERE NOT SEATED PROPERLY AND THE RETAINING BOLTS WERE STRETCHED AND NECKED DOWN WHICH ARE CHARTERISTIC OF OVERTORQUING. THE REMAINING BOLTS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN OVERTORQUED IN ORDER TO SEAT THEIR RESPECTIVE ATTACH CONES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,691 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 149 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L71
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.