Amateur-built Christen Eagle II accident near Iowa City, Iowa, March 27, 2005
On March 27, 2005 at about 11:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Christen Eagle II, registered N85SM, was destroyed in an accident near Iowa City, Iowa. 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 not maintaining airplane control and airspeed, and the stall/spin encountered during aerobatic maneuvering. A factor in the accident was the pilot exceeding the published airplane's aft center of gravity limit and a factor in the pilot rated occupant's fatal injury was approved personal parachutes not being worn during aerobatics as required by regulation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2005 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Iowa City, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Christen Eagle II
- Registration
- N85SM · registry record · serial Matthews 0001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aerobatic experimental amateur-built biplane was destroyed on impact with terrain following an in-flight loss of control while aerobatically maneuvering. The private pilot and commercial pilot, certificated front seat occupant were fatally injured. A witness stated, "As it passed overhead it did a barrel roll, left wing down first ... 1 ½ rolls ending up upside down for several seconds. While the plane was upside down we noticed the plane rotating around its center point. It lost altitude and stayed stalled." On-scene examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies. Clear skies and light surface winds existed at the time of the accident. The Civil Aeromedical Institute's Final Forensic Toxicology Accident Report for the front seat pilot rated occupant stated, "58.08 (ug/ml, ug/g) ACETAMINOPHEN detected in Urine, ACETAMINOPHEN NOT detected in Blood." The pilots were found not wearing parachutes. FAA regulation 91.307 Parachutes and parachuting, in-part, stated, "(c) Unless each occupant of the aircraft is wearing an approved parachute, no pilot of a civil aircraft carrying any person (other than a crewmember) may execute any intentional maneuver that exceeds- (1) A bank of 60 degrees relative to the horizon; or (2) A nose-up or nose-down attitude of 30 degrees relative to the horizon." The pilots sustained similar injuries to their right upper extremities. With the available evidence it was not possible to conclusively determine that either pilot was actually holding the controls at the time of impact. Weight and balance calculations showed the airplane's center of gravity exceeded the airplane's published aft center of gravity limit.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 23 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,209 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 558.6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 4, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IOW Iowa City IA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from IOW, 7 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.