Unknown CHALLENGER II UNREG

Summary

On 23 June 2006 at about 01:00 local time, a Unknown CHALLENGER II registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Emmett, Idaho, United States. 2 people were 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.

Date

23 June 2006 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Emmett, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Emmett Municipal (S76)

Coordinates

43.8497, -116.5428

Aircraft

Unknown CHALLENGER II

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Emmett → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA06CA128

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in an off-airport landing. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane and the soft terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he had about 500 hours flight time in ultralights including time in a Challenger I, but he had not previously flown a Challenger II. Before the flight, he reviewed the Challenger II owner's manual and found that it recommended use of full flapperons for takeoff. Therefore, he set full flapperons. After takeoff, as the airplane over flew the end of the runway, it "stopped" climbing. The pilot attempted to raise the flaperrons, but could not reach the crank handle, which was located above and behind his head. He was "able to keep nose level at full throttle" and executed an off-airport landing in a hay field. During the ground roll in the soft terrain, the nose landing gear collapsed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.