Amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II accident near Marana, Arizona, August 20, 1990
On August 20, 1990, a amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II, registered N3272U, was destroyed in an accident near Marana, Arizona. It was an instructional 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 LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1990
- Place
- Marana, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II CHRISTEN E
- Registration
- N3272U · no longer on the register · serial WALTER 0001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT ENTER INTO A HAMMERHEAD TURN, LOSE CONTROL AND PROCEED INTO AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN UNTIL IT WENT OUT OF SIGHT. THEY REPORTED THE ENGINE WAS AT FULL POWER AT THE TIME. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS EXISTED AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN, WINGS LEVEL UPRIGHT ATTITUDE. BOTH PILOTS WERE WEARING PARACHUTES.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 157 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 26, 1989; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E14 Mardama/Aura AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.