Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Brooksville, Florida, March 2, 1990
On March 2, 1990 at about 6:50 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N16CS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brooksville, Florida (Hornando County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1990 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Hornando County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N16CS · registry record · serial 2078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF 4 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT & THE ACFT WAS HANGARED & NOT FLOWN UNTIL A 45 MINUTE FLT EARLIER THAT DAY. BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE RETURN FLT, HE PERFORMED A PREFLT INSPN & ENG RUN-UP OF THE ACFT & NOTED NO CONTAMINANTS IN THE FUEL SYSTEM OR ENG MALFUNCTION. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALT OF 300 FT, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, THEN QUIT. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT NOSED OVER AFTER TOUCHING DOWN IN A FIELD. ONE OF THE FUEL TANKS WAS DAMAGED, BUT THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE OTHER FUEL TANK WAS CHECKED FOR CONTAMINATION, NONE WAS FOUND. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE REPORTED TEMP WAS 77 & THE DEW POINT 62, WHICH WAS IN THE 'SERIOUS ICING-GLIDE POWER' RANGE OF THE CARB ICING PROBABILITY CHART.
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: 257 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 179 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 480 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1989; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SFB Sanford FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 23,000 ft; scat at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from TPA, 30 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.
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.