Gilbert RUTAN VARI EZE N18VE
10 November 1996 · Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 10 November 1996 at about 20:00 local time, a Gilbert RUTAN VARI EZE registered N18VE was involved in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
- Nearest airport
- Sundance Airpark (HSD)
- Coordinates
- 35.3999, -97.4300
- Aircraft
- Gilbert RUTAN VARI EZE
- Registration
- N18VE
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW97LA057
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to follow proper starting procedures and set the throttle to idle before hand propping.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During hand propping of the airplane, the throttle is placed in the idle position with the ignition (magneto) switch and fuel on. However, when the engine is flooded, a clearing procedure must be used. For clearing the engine, the pilot turned off the ignition and the fuel and placed the throttle full open before pulling the propeller through backwards 10 blades. Subsequently, the pilot turned on the ignition and the fuel. However, he did not close the throttle. As the pilot pulled the propeller through a revolution, the engine started and the airplane went forward with full power. The left wing tip struck a steel pole and crossed the ramp, a taxiway, and a runway before striking windsock guy wires and coming to a stop. The airplane was not equipped with a parking brake, and at idle power a rubber parking pad at the nose served as the chock. On the Pilot/Operator Report the pilot recommended installing a hand brake, using full lean mixture for flooded procedures, and using a checklist.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 1996 | Cessna A188B | Enid, Oklahoma, United States | Carson Flying Service, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 16 May 1996 | McDonnell Douglas MD-520N | Bethany, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 1996 | Cessna 172N | Norman, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Feb 1996 | Bell 206B | Cushing, Oklahoma, United States | Corporate Helicopters, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Mar 1996 | Bell B206-BIII | Chandler, Oklahoma, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Apr 1996 | Air Tractor AT-502B | Pond Creek, Oklahoma, United States | Homestead Farms Flying Service | No injuries | - |