# NTSB ERA25LA097: Jonathan C Eggers Challenger II, N938SE, Conway, SC, January 14, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 14, 2025, 07:00 local (12:00 UTC) - Place: Conway, SC - Coordinates: 33.788844, -79.193635 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7888&lon=-79.1936&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 199555 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA097 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199555/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199555 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA097 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Jonathan C Eggers CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=056402U), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Jonathan C Eggers CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=056402U), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Jonathan C Eggers CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=056402U), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Jonathan C Eggers CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=056402U), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Jonathan C Eggers CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056402U), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis At the end of a 2.5-hour flight, the pilot had started his approach to land at his destination airport when the engine lost total power after its usable fuel supply was exhausted. The pilot then attempted a forced landing, but while attempting to avoid a powerline, the airplane struck a barn. The airplane came to rest in a ditch along a rural road and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation ## Aircraft - Registration: [N938SE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N938SE-2026-05-18), registration cancelled 2026-05-18, S/N CH2 0591-0687, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: JONATHAN C EGGERS CHALLENGER II - Registry model: [Jonathan C Eggers CHALLENGER II](https://openairdocs.org/model/jonathan-c-eggers-challenger-ii) (registry code 056402U) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 503 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503-series) (registry code 55564, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: CH2 0591-0687 - Year built: 1991 - Airframe hours: 150 - Engines: Rotax 503 53 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, March 24, 2022, 150 hours before - Departed: KGRD, Greenwood, SC - Destination: KHYW, Conway, SC - Airport: HYW, Conway-Horry County - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 29, 2024; seat: front; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 766 total, 9 in this make and model, 645 as pilot in command, 124 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: HYW, 4 nm away - METAR: KHYW 141155Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M02/M03 A3022 RMK AO2 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250114001029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250114001029A), Jan 14, 2025: Jonathan C Eggers CHALLENGER II, Conway, SC, Substantial damage. The aircraft departed and proceeded to the planned destination. Approximately 2.5 hrs. In the flight the fuel was exhausted. An engine failure occurred, and… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199555. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18316150&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18333411&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Clarification%20Regarding%20NTSB%206120.1%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18315847&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs_Redacted-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.