Smith VARI EZE incident near Terry, Montana, July 27, 1992
On July 27, 1992 at about 2:35 am local time, a Smith VARI EZE, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was destroyed in an incident near Terry, Montana (Terry 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 IN COMMAND'S EXCEEDING LIFTOFF SPEED DURING A TAXI TEST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1992 · about 2:35 am local time
- Place
- Terry, Montana · Terry · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith VARI EZE, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS TAXIING WESTBOUND ON RUNWAY 25 WHEN THE UNREGISTERED HOMEBUILT VARI EZE BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO REACH AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 20-30 FEET AGL AS IT ROLLED COUNTER CLOCKWISE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW INVERTED ATTITUDE. FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WITNESSED THE OCCURRENCE REPORTED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT INTEND TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT, BUT ONLY TAXI ALONG THE RUNWAY.
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: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8U6 Terry MT at 2:35 am
- Destination: 8U6
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from MLS, 31 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.