# Accident 20010614016989A: Vander Beek Robert CHRISTEN EAGLE II, Plainfield, IL, June 14, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 14, 2001, 20:15 local time
- Place: Plainfield, IL
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.6092° N, 88.1999° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6092&lon=-88.1999&mi=10
- Aircraft: N80VB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N80VB-2013-02-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Vander Beek Robert CHRISTEN EAGLE II (registry code 05658BY, https://openairdocs.org/model/vander-beek-robert-christen-eagle-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI01FA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01FA165) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010614016989A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON JUNE 14, 2001, AT 2015 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CHRISTEN INDUSTRIES EAGLE II, N80VB, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, IMPACTED A CORN FIELD WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IN THE AREA PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED AT TIME UNKNOWN. (-23) WITNESSES STATED THAT THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT WAS MANEUVERING AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SAFE AND REASONABLE HEIGHT ABOVE THE SURFACE. THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST SEEN TO CONTINUE IN A SERIES OF BANKING AND PITCHING MOVEMENTS BEFORE DISAPPEARING FROM VIEW BEHIND TREES. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF THE EVENTS OF THE FLIGHT. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL OR STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES.

## 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 CHI01FA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01FA165), Jun 15, 2001: VanderBeek Christen Eagle II (N80VB), Plainfield, IL, destroyed. Probable cause: the improper in-flight planning/decision and the aircraft control not maintained by the pilot. The thunderstorm outflow was a contributing factor.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.