Amateur-built CHALLENGER II accident near Burlington, Connecticut, June 10, 1995
On June 10, 1995, a amateur-built CHALLENGER II, registered N8101Z, was destroyed in an accident near Burlington, Connecticut (Mountain Meadow Airstrip airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON(S), THE 30-HOUR STUDENT PILOT'S POOR JUDGMENT IN ALLOWING HIMSELF TO RECEIVE DUAL INSTRUCTION IN AN AIRPLANE NOT EQUIPPED WITH DUAL CONNTOLS, THE CFI'S POOR JUDGMENT IN ATTEMPTING TO GIVE INSTRUCTION TO A 30-HR STUDENT PILOT IN THE AIRPLANE, THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF FLYING EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1995
- Place
- Burlington, Connecticut · Mountain Meadow Airstrip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHALLENGER II CHALLENGER
- Registration
- N8101Z · no longer on the register · serial CH21288B0372
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND SPUN TO THE GROUND. THIS WAS THE 30-HR STUDENT PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT IN THE AIRPLANE. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE CFI WAS IN THE REAR SEAT. THE REAR SEAT DID NOT HAVE ANY FLIGHT CONTROLS. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES. THE TWO THROTTLE CONTROLS, ONE LOCATED AT EACH PILOT STATION, WERE FOUND IN THE IDLE POSITION. NEITHER THE STUDENT PILOT NOR THE CFI HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 1, 1993
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 22B
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:11 am from BDL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.