Amateur-built Challenger II accident near Bessemer, Alabama, November 21, 2006
On November 21, 2006 at about 8:53 pm local time, a amateur-built Challenger II, registered N44594, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bessemer, Alabama (Bessemer Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during an approach for landing. A factor in the accident was gusting winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 2006 · about 8:53 pm local time
- Place
- Bessemer, Alabama · Bessemer Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Challenger II
- Registration
- N44594 · no longer on the register · serial CHA-0704-2506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot stated that "I lost control of my [air]craft on approach to Bessemer Airport on runway 5. There was a strong crosswind from the west causing severe rotor turbulence. This caused the aircraft to alternated balloon and sink and I added power to regain stable flight causing a yaw to the left from which I could not recover. I hit the ground shortly before striking a pine tree on the left side of the runway. The impact with the tree severed the left wing and caused the remainder of the [air]craft to spin to the left and come to rest a short distance from the tree." There were no mechanical problems discovered during the post-accident examination of the airplane. Winds were 250-degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 952 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dewitt AR
- Destination: EKY Bessemer AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from EKY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.