# NTSB SEA06CA128: Unknown Challenger II, Emmett, ID, June 23, 2006

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 22, 2006, 19:00 local (Jun 23, 2006, 01:00 UTC)
- Place: Emmett, ID
- Coordinates: 43.849723, -116.542778
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.8497&lon=-116.5428&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 63975
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA06CA128
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63975/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06CA128

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in an off-airport landing.  Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane and the soft terrain.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing after takeoff
  - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he had about 500 hours flight time in ultralights including time in a Challenger I, but he had not previously flown a Challenger II.  Before the flight, he reviewed the Challenger II owner's manual and found that it recommended use of full flapperons for takeoff.  Therefore, he set full flapperons.  After takeoff, as the airplane over flew the end of the runway, it "stopped" climbing.  The pilot attempted to raise the flaperrons, but could not reach the crank handle, which was located above and behind his head.  He was "able to keep nose level at full throttle" and executed an off-airport landing in a hay field.  During the ground roll in the soft terrain, the  nose landing gear collapsed.

## Factual narrative

On June 22, 2006, about 1900 mountain daylight time, an un-registered un-certificated experimental amateur-built Challenger II airplane sustained substantial damage when it encountered soft terrain during an off-airport landing following a loss of control in the initial climb after takeoff from Emmett Municipal Airport, Emmett, Idaho.  The un-certificated pilot and the passenger, who was the airplane's owner, were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal local flight.

The pilot reported that he had about 500 hours flight time in ultralights including time in a Challenger I, but he had not previously flown a Challenger II.  Before the flight, he reviewed the Challenger II owner's manual and found that it recommended use of full flapperons for takeoff.  Therefore, he set full flapperons.  After takeoff, as the airplane over flew the end of the runway, it "stopped" climbing.  The pilot attempted to raise the flaperrons, but could not reach the crank handle, which was located above and behind his head.  He was "able to keep nose level at full throttle" and executed an off-airport landing in a hay field.  During the ground roll in the soft terrain, the  nose landing gear collapsed.

## Aircraft

- Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Unknown Challenger II
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: CH2 0199-1831
- Engines: Rotax 503UL reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: S78, Emmett, ID
- Destination: S78
- Airport: S76, Emmett Municipal, runway 28

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; flight hours: 500 total, 0 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

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.

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