Hoffius Stowe CHALLENGER II N824SH

Summary

On 10 May 2014 at about 17:42 local time, a Hoffius Stowe CHALLENGER II registered N824SH was involved in an accident near Attica, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 May 2014 at 17:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Attica, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

40.2367, -87.2331

Aircraft

Hoffius Stowe CHALLENGER II

Registration

N824SH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Covington → Covington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA243

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack while maneuvering at low altitude, which led to an aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the installation of an inappropriate airspeed indicator that did not provide airspeed indications near the airplane’s stall speed.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a personal flight in the amateur-built light sport airplane. The airplane was maneuvering at low altitude before it descended and then impacted the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions. The forward fuselage and right wing were crushed, consistent with a nose-low, right-wing-low impact. The airplane's attitude at impact was consistent with a steep descending right turn that would occur after a stall. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude and exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. The airspeed indicator was marked for airspeeds from 40 to 340 mph, but the airplane's stall speed was 32 mph, and its maximum speed was 105 mph. The large discrepancy between the airplane's performance capability and the airspeed indicator markings made the airspeed indicator inappropriate for installation in the accident airplane and would not have provided the pilot airspeed information as he neared the stall speed. The lack of appropriate airspeed information due to the inappropriate airspeed indicator likely contributed to the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and prevent the stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.