# Accident 19960702015779A: Amtr CHALLENGER1, Paso Robles, CA, July 2, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 2, 1996, 08:55 local time
- Place: Paso Robles, CA
- Airport: Paso Robles Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6092° N, 120.7607° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6092&lon=-120.7607&mi=10
- Aircraft: N75489, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N75489-2011-06-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Davis Robert S CHALLENGER I CW SPEC (registry code 05603B9, https://openairdocs.org/model/davis-robert-s-challenger-i-cw-spec) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR CHALLENGER1
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX503
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 185 total, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX96LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA258) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960702015779A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

CRASHED ON RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF. (.4)THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE PILOT'S MAIDEN FLIGHT OF THE HOMEBUILT FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION THE PRECEDING WEEK. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED 100 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY SURFACE. DURING THE CLIMB, AN AIRFRAME COMPONENT SEPARATED FROM THE WING AND CONTACTED THE WOOD PUSHER PROPELLER. A BLADE SEPARATED AND ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE THEN PORPOISED SEVERAL TIMES, TURNED 90 DEGREES FROM ITS RUNWAY HEADING, AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A 45-DEGREE NOSE-DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE. A BENT PLASTIC (LEXAN) STRIP WAS FOUND ABOUT 300 FEET DOWNWIND OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE SEPARATED PROPELLER BLADE. THE STRIP HAD BEEN ATTACHED TO THE CENTER SECTION OF THE WING, FORWARD OF THE ENGINE, WITH VELCRO SELF-ADHESIVE TAPE. THE ADHESIVE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE WING, BUT IT FAILED TO ADHERE TO THE LEXAN. IN NOVEMBER, 1994, THE FAA DENIED THE PILOT'S LAST APPLICATION FOR AN AVIATION MEDICAL CERTIFICATE BECAUSE OF HIS CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITION. TOXICOLOGY TESTS ON THE PILOT REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF TRANQUILIZERS CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE (LIBRIUM) AND DIAZEPAM (V                                         ALIUM), AND THE ANTIDEPRESSANT AMITRIPTYLINE (ELAVIL). USE OF THESE DRUGS COULD ADVERSELY INFLUENCE THE PILOT'S MENTAL PROCESSES, REACTION TIME, AND ABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX96LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA258), Jul 2, 1996: Davis Challenger I CW (N75489), Paso Robles, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the owner/builder/pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to drugs which led to his improper handling of the airplane and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin above stall speed,…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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