Amateur-built CHALLENGER 1 accident near Crestview, Florida, May 4, 2025
On May 4, 2025 at about 7:20 pm local time, a 2021 amateur-built CHALLENGER 1, registered N59BR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Crestview, Florida (Yellow River Airstrip 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 pilot’s decision to take off despite having problems controlling the airplane due to his physical stature.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2025 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Crestview, Florida · Yellow River Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHALLENGER 1, built 2021
- Registration
- N59BR · registry record · serial 0501-CW-0756
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was having difficulty controlling the airplane’s rudder pedals due to his physical stature. After several taxi attempts up and down the runway, he elected to take off for a short flight. After becoming airborne, the pilot began to have yaw controllability problems. He attempted to land, but was unable to control the airplane’s movements effectively, as his knees were contacting the instrument panel, and his feet were wedged behind the rudder pedals. The airplane continued to fly over terrain about 6 feet above ground level. With trees approaching, the pilot pushed the nose of the airplane down resulting in a hard landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward portion of the fuselage and the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 control in flight during landing defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Physical › Physical characteristic › Size › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 53 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 603 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 SERIES (piston); 53 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from CEW, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCEW 041953Z AUTO 10SM CLR 26/08 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP120 T02560078
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of the Airplane with Damage to Left Wing
Photograph 2 – View of the Nose Hull DamageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 6, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.