Amateur-built CHALLENGER II accident near Thomaston, Georgia, April 8, 1991
On April 8, 1991 at about 9:50 pm local time, a amateur-built CHALLENGER II, registered N283EL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thomaston, Georgia (Reginald Grant Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THE AIRPLANE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRESCRIBED PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL CONTAMINATION, FOULED SPARK PLUGS, AND A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ALSO FAILED TO FOLLOW NORMAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER LIFTOFF AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1991 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Thomaston, Georgia · Reginald Grant Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHALLENGER II CHALLENGER
- Registration
- N283EL · no longer on the register · serial 0283
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N283EL WAS THE THIRD AIRPLANE OF A FLIGHT OF THREE. THE OTHER AIRPLANES CLIMBED OUT WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT AS N283EL STARTED ITS CLIMB, REPORTEDLY THE ENGINE LOST POWER. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED A LEFT TURN AND CRASHED 180 DEGREES FROM THE TAKEOFF HEADING ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY. DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL AND THE SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED. THE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY REPORTED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, BUT LATER REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN CORRECTED. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATIONAL LIMITATION FOR THE AIRPLANE, A CONDITIONAL INSPECTION IS REQUIRED ANNUALLY. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A COMPLETED CONDITIONAL INSPECTION SINCE THE AIRPLANE WAS CERTIFICATED IN 1988. SUFFICIENT RUNWAY WAS AVAILABLE FOR A FORCED LANDING.
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
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,650 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 186 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 DC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LAL Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from MCN, 35 miles away
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.