N29NS

On July 11, 1998, approximately 1435 Pacific daylight time, a homebuilt Vari Eze, N29NS, built, owned and being flown by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when the main landing gear and right wing/canard separated during landing roll in a field approximately one nautical mile north of the threshold of runway 16 at the Arlington Municipal airport, Arlington, Washington. A loss of power and forced landing preceded the landing. The pilot and his two passengers were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, originating from the Arlington Municipal airport (AWO) about 1418.

The pilot reported taking off from Arlington for a short local flight and that the "carb heat was on prior to departure, and left on for (the) duration of (the) flight." He also remarked that the "visibility aloft was 5 miles in mist" and that the "mist was unusual, as it was "coating" the airframe and canopy in a manner not seen before."

He further reported that "approx(imately) 1432, at 1,800 (feet) MSL, the engine stopped running" and that "no surging was present." "Stoppage was more akin to (the) mags being switched off. Carb heat was confirmed "ON."

The pilot attempted to trouble shoot the loss of power and restart the engine without success. He then chose to execute a forced landing in a grass field north of the airport. He reported that he "deployed the nose gear, and touched down at 45-50 KIAS" and that the "field was soft, and did not permit rolling of (the) small MLG tires." During the landing rollout the main landing gear separated as well as the right wing and forward canard.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel on site found at least 14 gallons of fuel in the attached left wing and the carburetor heat box was observed to be damaged. Total aircraft time was estimated to be 5 hours more than the owner/builder's total flight time in the aircraft (235 hours).

Post crash examination of the aircraft by several FAA inspectors revealed fuel in both fuel tanks, no evidence of water observed in the carburetor bowl, and no evidence of control discontinuity. The Continental O-200 carburetor equipped engine was test run and demonstrated satisfactory operation with no evidence of fuel flow, air flow or magneto malfunctions. The carburetor heat could not be tested due to the damage to the heat box.

The aviation surface weather observation taken at 1435 hours at the Arlington airport (137 feet MSL and altimeter setting of 30.12 inches mercury) reported a temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit and a dew point of 55 degrees Fahrenheit (refer to DIAGRAM I).