Aircraft Mfg & Dev. Co. (Amd) CH2T accident near Crystal River, Florida, July 25, 2003
On July 25, 2003 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Aircraft Mfg & Dev. Co. (Amd) CH2T, registered N643AM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal River, Florida (Crystal River 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 student pilot 's failure to maintain control while landing in crosswind which resulted in airplane departing the runway and incurring damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2003 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida · Crystal River Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aircraft Mfg & Dev. Co. (Amd) CH2T
- Registration
- N643AM · registry record · serial 20-0054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that on final approach to land he had been compensating for a right-quartering headwind, and just before the landing flare a gust of wind from the right affected the airplane. He said he over-corrected for the wind, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway into a muddy area. As the airplane departed the runway, the left main landing gear wheel dug into the mud, and the airplane pivoted to the left, striking some bushes and damaging both wings. Prior to the accident, the student pilot said that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,145 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 18, 2003; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,606 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: National Aviation Holdings
The flight
- Departed from: PIE St. Peterburg FL
- Destination: GNV Gainesville FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 4,555 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from CGC
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.