Amateur-built CHALLENGER II accident near Erwinville, Louisiana, January 20, 1998
On January 20, 1998 at about 9:50 pm local time, a amateur-built CHALLENGER II, registered N266RP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erwinville, Louisiana (Private airport). It was an instructional 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 failure to compensate for the prevailing crosswind. Factors were the crosswind and the loss of engine power due to the separation of the fuel pick-up line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 1998 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Erwinville, Louisiana · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHALLENGER II CHALLENGER
- Registration
- N266RP · registry record · serial CH1289Y0489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On downwind for landing at the student pilot's private air strip, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot elected to make a forced landing on an unimproved road. During the landing roll, the pilot was unable to compensate for the prevailing crosswind and the aircraft rolled into a drainage ditch. Examination of the aircraft by the student's flight instructor revealed that the fuel pick-up line had separated from the fuel tank. The instructor reconnected the line and test ran the engine, which then operated 'normally.'
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: student
- Flight time: 9 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 260 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 849 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Erwinville LA at 1:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 165° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.