Fredenburg CHALLENGER II N2087P

Summary

On 7 June 1996 at about 14:47 local time, a Fredenburg CHALLENGER II registered N2087P, operated by Troyce A. Pearson, was involved in an accident near Longview, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 June 1996 at 14:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Longview, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

East Side (33F)

Coordinates

32.5090, -94.7605

Aircraft

Fredenburg CHALLENGER II

Registration

N2087P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Troyce A. Pearson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW96FA239

2 people died.

the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain airspeed. A factor was the pilot's lack of total experience in the make/model.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the landing, the ultralight kit airplane struck a ditch trencher, trailer, and trees. Prior to the impact, witnesses heard the engine at idle, the pilot 'gave a little gas' and the 'motor revved.' Flight control continuity was confirmed. Examination did not reveal any water or debris in the fuel system nor engine anomalies that would have contributed to the accident. The commercial pilot-in-command, who held neither an FAA medical certificate nor a flight instructor certificate, was flying with the owner/student pilot until the owner became familiar with the Challenger II. In 1991, the commercial pilot-in-command received a 0.5 hour introductory flight in a Challenger II airplane. He had flown a single seat ultralight vehicle for 85.5 hours in the 15 months prior to the accident. In May 1996, he had completed '3 or 4 landings' solo in the Challenger II and flown 2.5 hours with the current owner/student pilot. The student pilot/owner had received 7.4 hours dual instruction in an ultralight vehicle and was endorsed to solo the Challenger ultralight. The owner had signed the document to place the Challenger under an ultralight vehicle registration; however, the airplane was still registered with the FAA as an experimental airplane at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.