Terry Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Terry, Montana 59349
Sunday, July 26, 1992 20:35 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S EXCEEDING LIFTOFF SPEED DURING A TAXI TEST.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2035
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City TERRY
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59349
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TERRY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8U6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2260
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2053 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 215
Weather Observation Facility ID MLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2628
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5050
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 26 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47229
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number SEA92IA164
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SMITH
Aircraft Model VARI EZE
Aircraft Series Identifier VARI EZE
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SMITH, BENNY J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 262
Aircraft Owner City TERRY
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59349
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SMITH, BENNY J.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 262
Operator City TERRY
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59349
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 8U6
Departure City TERRY
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 2035
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 8U6
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 4300
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --