Amateur-built VARI VIGGEN accident near Abingdon, Virginia, July 26, 1995
On July 26, 1995 at about 1:48 pm local time, a amateur-built VARI VIGGEN, registered N93VV, was destroyed in an accident near Abingdon, Virginia (Virginia Highlands 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
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of experience in make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1995 · about 1:48 pm local time
- Place
- Abingdon, Virginia · Virginia Highlands · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VARI VIGGEN VARI VIGGE
- Registration
- N93VV · no longer on the register · serial 387
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane took off, remained in the airport traffic pattern and had turned onto final approach. Without warning, at an altitude of approximately 200 to 300 feet above the ground, the airplane's right wing made two downward dips. The airplane then entered a nose down, right roll which continued until the airplane impacted the ground in an inverted attitude. Flight control continuity was not established because of extensive impact damage. At the time of the accident, the pilot had 1,369 total flight hours, and had accured 4.5 hours in this aircraft since it was certificated 10 months before the accident.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,369 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 21, 1994; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-TC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VJI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,470 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.