- Date
- September 30, 1994, 12:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Painesville, OH
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N39RHHenderson Christen Eagle II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 16, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940930032289A
- Case key
- 8980
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while conducting aerobatic maneuvers. The pilot's overconfidence in his ability was a factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft impacted the ground when an unsuccessful aerobatic maneuver was attempted. There were several witnesses who saw and heard the airplane during the maneuvers. One of the witnesses reported that the pilot completed several stall/spins successfully. The witness who is a pilot stated that he saw the airplane in a flat spin, before disappearing behind the trees. The wreckage was found in the inverted position. An FAA aviation safety inspector reported that no anomalies were noted.
Factual narrative
On September 30, 1994, at 1240 eastern daylight time, N39RH, a Christen Eagle II, owned and operated by Robert N. Henderson of Richmond Heights, Ohio, crashed in Leroy Township, Ohio. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The local, personal flight was operated under 14 CFR 91 and originated at Lost Nation Airport, Ohio.
According to an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector, the pilot and his passenger were attired with parachutes in the airplane for some aerobatic maneuvers. There were several witness who saw and heard the airplane while it was performing aerobatic maneuvers. One of the witnesses who is a pilot reported that he saw the airplane complete several stall/spins successfully. He stated that he saw the airplane in a flat spin and that the engine was operating before it disappeared behind the trees. The airplane struck the ground inverted.
According to the FAA Inspector who examined the wreckage at the accident site no anomalies were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39RH
- Reported as
- Henderson Christen Eagle II (CHRISTEN E)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- C EAGLE II
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360-A10, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert N Henderson
- Registered owner
- Robert N Henderson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- LNN · Willoughby, OH
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 72
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LNN, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N39RH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.