Amateur-built VARIEZE accident near Oxford, Mississippi, March 6, 1994
On March 6, 1994 at about 9:08 pm local time, a amateur-built VARIEZE, registered N3769D, was destroyed in an accident near Oxford, Mississippi (University-Oxford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND FOR FAILURE TO PERFORM HIGH AND LOW SPEED TAXI TESTS BEFORE THE FLIGHT AFTER REPAIRS AND MODIFICATION OF THE AIRPLANE. ADDITIONALLY, FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB OVER THE RUNWAY DUE TO PITCH OSCILLATIONS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES. ALSO, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH, AND ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR RECOVERY FROM THE INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1994 · about 9:08 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, Mississippi · University-Oxford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARIEZE
- Registration
- N3769D · no longer on the register · serial 1993
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER REASSEMBLY FOLLOWING REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS. AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS 15-20 FEET OVER THE RUNWAY WITH RUNWAY REMAINING, WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE OSCILLATE AROUND THE LATERAL AXIS. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF AND BANKED LEFT DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN TO PITCH NOSE UP AND DOWN WHICH COINCIDED RESPECTIVELY WITH ADDING AND REDUCING POWER. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 120-150 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND WAS SEEN TO BANK TO THE LEFT ABOUT 90 DEGREES AFTER WHICH THE AIRPLANE PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 45 DEGREES NOSE LOW. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY POST CRASH FIRE. FLIGHT CONTROL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE CARBURETOR AND MAGNETOS WERE DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT TIME WAS NOT ACCURATELY DETERMINED. THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM LOW OR HIGH SPEED TAXI TESTS BEFORE THE FIRST FLIGHT.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from UOX, 1 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.