# Accident 19990407003199A: Semco CHALLENGER, Zellwood, FL, April 7, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 7, 1999
- Place: Zellwood, FL
- Airport: Bob White Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.7101° N, 81.7304° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7101&lon=-81.7304&mi=10
- Aircraft: N929DB (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SEMCO CHALLENGER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA119) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990407003199A

## Narrative

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

ACFT EXPERIENCED UNKNOWN PROBLEMS AND THE PILOT BAILED OUT USING A PARACHUTE, THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. (.19) ON APRIL 7, 1999, ABOUT 1330 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A DAVID C. BOCK CHALLENGER II, N929DB, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, BEGAN TO FLUTTER AND WENT OUT OF CONTROL NEAR ASTATULA, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ZELLWOOD, FLORIDA, THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 1250. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS IN PHASE 1 OF THE FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM FOR THIS HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 7 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS. HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO THE CALCULATED NEVER EXCEED SPEED OF 120 MPH. AS HE DROVE THE AIRCRAFT TO INCREASE SPEED, AT ABOUT 115 MPH, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO FLUTTER AND WENT OUT OF CONTROL. HE ACTIVATED THE BALLISTIC SAFETY PARACHUTE. THE PARACHUTE DEPLOYED AND LOWERED HIM AND THE AIRCRAFT TO THE GROUND, WHERE A LANDING WAS MADE IN AN ORANGE GROVE.                                    (-23)ON 7 APRIL 1999, AT 1330 DST, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS CONDUCTING A FLIGHT TEST IN HIS QUAD CITY CHLLENGER II, N292DB.  THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO FLIGHT TEST THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT ENVELOPE TO MEET PHASE I TEST REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED FOR AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT.  ^PRIVACY ^ FLEW THE AIRCRAFT IN A SHALLOW DESCENT IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE TO TEST IT UP TO THE NEVER EXCEED SPEED (VNE) ON 120 MPH.  AT A SPEED IN ACCESS OF 115 MPH, ^PRIVACY ^ EXPERIENCED TAIL FLUTTER WHICH CAUSED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE EMPENAGE.  LOSING CONTROL, ^PRIVACY ^ SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND DEPLOYED THE AIRCRFT EMERGENCY PARACHUTE SYSTEM AND LANDED SAFELY.  THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAAMGE WITH NO INJURY TO THE PILOT.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 MIA99LA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA119), Apr 7, 1999: David C. Bock Challenger II (N929DB), Astatula, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The aircraft structure fluttering inflight resulting in fracture of fuselage longerons and the pilot being unable to maintain control.

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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