Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Zenia, California, March 2, 1993
On March 2, 1993 at about 1:58 am local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N91CL, was destroyed in an accident near Zenia, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POOR WEATHER EVALUATION AND CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE LOW CEILING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1993 · about 1:58 am local time
- Place
- Zenia, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N91CL · registry record · serial 1317
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED DURING MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS. ABOUT 48 MINUTES LATER, THE PILOT CONTACTED THE AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER AND ADVISED HIM THAT HE WAS UNSURE OF HIS POSITION AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE. THE SECTOR CONTROLLER COULD NOT RADAR IDENTIFY THE AIRPLANE AND INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CONTACT ANOTHER SECTOR CONTROLLER. THE PILOT BECAME CONFUSED AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT VARIOUS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WITHOUT SUCCESS. AN AIRCRAFT IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE MADE INITIAL VISUAL CONTACT, BUT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE ENTERED INTO THE CLOUDS AND COULD NOT BE RELOCATED. THE AIRLANE'S LEFT WING STRUCK SOME TREES IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA WHILE IN A STEEP DESCENDING ATTITUDE. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 240 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 112 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 765 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 4, 1993; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RBG Roseburg OR
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from RDD, 74 miles away
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.