Challenger II accident near Williamsfield, Illinois, July 3, 2008
On July 3, 2008 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Challenger II, registered N23764, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Williamsfield, Illinois (Private Grass Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undertermined reasons and the unsuitable landing area encountered during the forced landing. Contributing to the accident were the trees and the residence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2008 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Williamsfield, Illinois · Private Grass Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Challenger II
- Registration
- N23764 · no longer on the register · serial CH2 0597 181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he completed the preflight and pre-takeoff checklist and the airplane was operating normally. He set the power at 6,200 rpm's for takeoff from the private grass airstrip. When the airplane had reached about 200 feet above ground level, the engine rpm's dropped to 4,000 rpm's. He executed a forced landing to a neighbor's yard. During the landing roll, both wingtips hit trees and the airplane slid sideways and the left wingtip hit a house window. The airplane wreckage was taken to a hangar for inspection. The engine was started and it idled normally. The throttle was advanced to 5,000 rpm and it ran smoothly. No deficiencies were found that would have precluded normal engine operation. Aircraft records indicated that the last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on April 3, 2007. The student pilot, who had a total of 266 flight hours, did not have an endorsement for the make and model aircraft in the last 90 days. His Student Pilot Certificate, which is valid for two years, had expired on February 29, 2008.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Residence/building › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 266 hours in all; 266 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 240 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Williamsfield IL at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.