Amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE-II accident near Seward, Nebraska, September 4, 2011
On September 4, 2011 at about 2:35 pm local time, a amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE-II, registered N88CE, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Seward, Nebraska (Seward Municipal airport). 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 pilot’s inadvertent pulling of the mixture control lever on takeoff, which shut down the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2011 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Seward, Nebraska · Seward Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE-II
- Registration
- N88CE · registry record · serial LARSON-0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor, who was seated in the front seat, was giving the private pilot, who was seated in the rear seat, a check-out in the single-engine biplane. The engine lost power on takeoff, and the airplane impacted a field. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation; however the mixture control lever, which was located below and to the left of the rear-seated pilot's left knee (there was no mixture control in the front seat), was pulled out about 2 inches. The lever should have been full forward during takeoff. The propeller control was situated directly below the mixture control and found in the full forward position. The propeller control lever is usually adjusted by the pilot after takeoff. Although the mixture and propeller control levers were color-coded, it's possible that the 6'5" private pilot's left knee blocked his view of the controls due to his size and the small cockpit. The mixture control knob was slightly larger than the propeller control knob, but both were similar in shape. It is possible that the pilot thought he was adjusting the propeller control rather than the mixture control on takeoff and inadvertently shut off fuel to the engine. Postaccident examination of the mixture control cable from the cockpit to the engine revealed it moved freely and there was no evidence it had been moved during impact.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Mixture control › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all
- Last flight review: December 10, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SWT Seward NE
- Destination: SWT Seward NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from LNK, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.