# Accident 20110904020619A: Larson Ken W CHRISTEN EAGLE-II, Seward, NE, September 4, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 4, 2011, 09:35 local time
- Place: Seward, NE
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.8739° N, 97.1081° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8739&lon=-97.1081&mi=10
- Aircraft: N88CE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N88CE-2018-01-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Larson Ken W CHRISTEN EAGLE-II (registry code 05658EB, https://openairdocs.org/model/larson-ken-w-christen-eagle-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LARSON KEN W CHRISTEN EAGLE-II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 9,733 total, 90 in this make and model, 74 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11FA616](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA616) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110904020619A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2011, AT 0935 CDT, AN AMATEUR-BUILT CHRISTEN EAGLE II, N88CE, REGISTERED TO MARK R. PEARSON, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ½ MILE NORTH OF THE SEWARD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KSWT), SEWARD, NEBRASKA. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KSWT ON A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH THE AIRCRAFT OWNER, MARK R. PEARSON, IN THE REAR SEAT AND HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, JEFF C. CLAUSEN, IN THE FRONT SEAT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, A WITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED HEARING THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FEET IN THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN OBSERVED MAKING A LEFT BANK OF 90 DEGREES AND PITCHING 10-15 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING IN THE LEFT BANK UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED INTO A CORN FIELD JUST NORTH OF THE KSWT AIRPORT. THE WITNESS THEN HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE FIELD AT A HIGH ANGLE, HIGH RATE OF DESCENT, IN A LEFT BANK, AND NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON A 270 DEGREE HEADING. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. BOTH OF THE PILOTS ON BOARD RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. NO OTHER PERSONS WERE INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE FARM LAND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE SUSTAINED SOME CROP DAMAGE.

## 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 CEN11FA616](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA616), Sep 4, 2011: Larson Ken W Christen EAGLE-II (N88CE), Seward, NE, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent pulling of the mixture control lever on takeoff, which shut down the engine.

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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