Amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II accident near Williamsburg, Virginia, February 28, 1988
On February 28, 1988 at about 5:00 am local time, a amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II, registered N115MC, was destroyed in an accident near Williamsburg, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1988 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Williamsburg, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II CHRISTEN E
- Registration
- N115MC · registry record · serial P001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT PERFORMING AEROBATICS WHICH INCLUDED LOOPS AND ROLLS. THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING IN A LOOP WHEN IT SUDDENLY PITCHED DOWN AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. SOME WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT WAS SPINNING AS IT DESCENDED.
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: 850 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 27, 1987; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,520 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA at 5:17 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from PHF, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.