20090924017419A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr CHALLENGER II · Lumberton, MS · September 24, 2009

Date: September 24, 2009 · 17:15 local
Place: Lumberton, MS
Phase of flight: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4340D
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA09LA536
Reported as: Amtr Challengerii
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N4340DRegistration cancelled May 1, 2013 · Duke Paul CHALLENGER IIS/N CH2-0297-1567 · Built 1998 Airframe modelDuke Paul CHALLENGER II Engine modelBombardier ROTAX (ALL)Reciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot flew over the runway and made a left bank approximately 1/4 of a mile west of the runway. During the left bank the aircraft descended and hit several branches in a nearby sweet gum tree, then struck the trunk of an oak tree. The oak tree was located approximately 25 feet away from the sweet gum tree, and closer to the runway. During the impact the pilot was ejected and the left wing became detached from the aircraft. The aircraft fell approximately 30 feet to the ground. The aircraft caught fire after impact. 30 percent of the aircraft was destroyed in the fire. The pilot did not survive the accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT FLEW OVER THE RUNWAY AND MADE A LEFT BANK APPROXIMATELY 1/4 OF A MILE WEST OF THE RUNWAY. DURING THE LEFT BANK THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND HIT SEVERAL BRANCHES IN A NEARBY SWEET GUM TREE, THEN STRUCK THE TRUNK OF AN OAK TREE. THE OAK TREE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET AWAY FROM THE SWEET GUM TREE, AND CLOSER TO THE RUNWAY. DURING THE IMPACT THE PILOT WAS EJECTED AND THE LEFT WING BECAME DETACHED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT FELL APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE AFTER IMPACT. 30 PERCENT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. THE PILOT DID NOT SURVIVE THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA09LA536Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportLumberton, MSThe non-certificated pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during a go-around procedure for unknown reasons.Sep 24, 2009 · Substantial damage