Christen Industries Eagle II and Mooney M-20 accident near Belleview, Florida, July 4, 2001
On July 4, 2001 at about 7:01 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Christen Industries Eagle II (N321JK) and Mooney M-20 (N6718N), were involved in the same accident near Belleview, Florida (Mc Mechen airport). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot of the Christian Eagle II, N321JK, failure to maintain visual look out, prior to takeoff.
The pilot of the Christian Ealge II, N321JK, failure to maintain visual look out, prior to takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2001 · about 7:01 pm local time
- Place
- Belleview, Florida · Mc Mechen · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Christen Industries Eagle II, amateur-built
- Registration
- N321JK · no longer on the register · serial JMK 0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Mooney M-20 · all M-20s on the register
- Registration
- N6718N · registry record · serial 680175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Christen Industries Eagle II final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to witnesses, and the two pilots, the Mooney, N6718N, was landing on the uncontrolled grass strip to the south on runway 18, and the Christian Eagle, N321JK,, was on a takeoff roll to the north runway 36. The airplanes collided wing tip to wing tip substantially damaging both airplanes.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Mooney M-20 final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to witnesses, and the two pilots, the Mooney N6718N, was landing on the uncontrolled grass strip to the south runway 18, and the Christian Ealge N321JK, was on a takeoff roll to the north runway 36. The airplanes collided wing tip to wing tip substantially damaging both airplanes.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Christen Industries Eagle II from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 204 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 2001; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,366 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8FL3 Belleview FL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: FD04 Belleview FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 11 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from GNV, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Mooney M-20 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,599 hours in all; 1,042 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 20, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,730 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 2001; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO 360 A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8FL3 Belleview FL at 6:20 pm
- Destination: 8FL3 Belleview FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.