RutanVari-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….

At about 11:30 CST, an amateur built Vari-eze nosed over at Tupelo Municipal Airport. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane had departed Tupelo Municipal Airport about 10 minutes before to the accident. The pilot said that he was landing when a gust of wind caught the aircraft. He overcorrected and the airplane nosed over. No mechanical discrepancies were noted with the aircraft. During a review of the applicable records, investigators discovered that the last annual inspection recorded was in 1987. The aircraft had no airworthiness certificate, nor did the pilot have a current flight review….

At 20:30 CDT, a Rutan Vari-Eze crashed shortly after takeoff from the Enterprise Airport. The pilot said he had forgotten to remove the fuel vent cover during his preflight inspection. Shortly after takeoff the engine lost power….

At approximately 10:10 MDT, a homebuilt Vari-Eze nosed over during a forced landing 20 miles southwest of Quemado. The pilot was killed. The pilot reportedly had just purchased the aircraft in California and was ferrying it to McKinney, Texas. At 10:01, the pilot contacted Albuquerque Center and said he was level at 13,500 feet and experiencing a rough running engine. The pilot requested vectors to the closest airport. He was provided a discreet transponder code, but was never identified on radar….