Christen Industries EAGLE II accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 7, 1990
On August 7, 1990 at about 9:48 pm local time, a Christen Industries EAGLE II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N44ED, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin (General Mitchell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL, HIS MISJUDGMENT OF PROPER GLIDEPATH AND HIS NOT PERFORMING A TIMELY GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1990 · about 9:48 pm local time
- Place
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin · General Mitchell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries EAGLE II, amateur-built
- Registration
- N44ED · registry record · serial HUMPHREY
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED AN EXCESSIVE SINK RATE, FROM WHICH THE PILOT DID NOT RECOVER. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NOTHING OF A MECHANICAL NATURE WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ENGINE FROM PERFORMING NORMALLY. THE PILOT MAE NO ATTEMPT TO GO-AROUND WHEN PROPER GLIDEPATH WAS NOT ATTAINED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,470 hours in all; 126 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 126 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 1990; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AE10-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7R, 8,010 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from MKE
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.
Other NTSB records under N44ED the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.