Christen Industries EAGLE II accident near Point Reyes Stn, California, February 23, 1992
On February 23, 1992 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Christen Industries EAGLE II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N24CE, was destroyed in an accident near Point Reyes Stn, California. It was a personal 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
IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND BY EXCEEDING THE AIRPLANE'S MAXIMUM ACROBATIC GROSS WEIGHT AND EXCEEDING THE AFT AEROBATIC CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO PERFORM ACROBATIC MANEUVERS WHICH RESULTED IN A INADVERTENT STALL FROM WHICH RECOVERY WAS NOT POSSIBLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1992 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Point Reyes Stn, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries EAGLE II, amateur-built
- Registration
- N24CE · registry record · serial WRIGHT-0001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CHRISTEN EAGLE II LOST CONTROL DURING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS, COLLIDED WITH COASTAL WATERS AND WAS NEVER RECOVERED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A STEEP CLIMB, DID A WING OVER, AND THEN ENTERED A SPIN. AFTER 4 TO 5 ROTATIONS IN THE SPIN THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO PULL OUT. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN OBSERVED ROTATING AS IF IN A SPIN AND SIMULTANEOUSLY FLIPPING NOSE OVER UNTIL ITS TAIL STRUCK THE WATER. THE PILOT'S TOTAL DOCUMENTED AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE MAKE AND MODEL WAS 14 FLIGHT HOURS. INVESTIGATORS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S WEIGHT EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM NORMAL AND AEROBATIC ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT. THE CENTER OF GRAVITY (CG) EXCEEDED THE AFT LIMIT OF THE AIRPLANE'S AEROBATIC ALLOWABLE CG. THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL PUBLISHES A WARNING WHICH STATES IN PART; 'PILOTS MUST TAKE WEIGHT AND BALANCE RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY. ALL AIRCRAFT MUST BE LOADED SO THAT THE AIRCRAFT CG WILL REMAIN WITHIN SAFE LIMITS AT ALL TIMES. ALL SPIN RECOVERY PROCEDURES DEPEND ON HAVING THE CG REMAIN WITHIN DESIGN LIMITS.'
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 437 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: STS Sonoma CA at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from STS, 37 miles away
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.
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.