At 08:15 MST, an experimental Vari-Eze on its maiden flight collided with a mesquite tree during a forced landing attempt in the desert just east of Ryan Field. The pilot/builder was killed and the aircraft was destroyed by the crash and fire. The pilot had just departed when he contacted the control tower and told them that he had a problem and that he had to put it down here. Air traffic controllers said the aircraft did not appear to gain much altitude, only climbing about 100 feet.
Dec. 18, Tucson, Ariz. / Vari-Eze
At 08:15 MST, an experimental Vari-Eze on its maiden flight collided with a mesquite tree during a forced landing attempt in the desert just east of Ryan Field. The pilot/builder was killed and the aircraft was destroyed by the crash and fire. The pilot had just departed when he contacted the control tower and told them that he had a problem and that he had to put it down here. Air traffic controllers said the aircraft did not appear to gain much altitude, only climbing about 100 feet....
Key Takeaways:
- An experimental Vari-Eze aircraft crashed during its maiden flight following a reported in-flight problem shortly after takeoff.
- The pilot/builder was killed, and the aircraft was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire.
- The aircraft, which had only climbed to about 100 feet, collided with a mesquite tree during a forced landing attempt.
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