Amateur-built CHALLENGER II accident near Islamorada, Florida, May 21, 1994
On May 21, 1994 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built CHALLENGER II, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Islamorada, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain airspeed (VS) while landing in turbulent air resulting in an in-flight loss of control (inadvertent stall), and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1994 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Islamorada, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHALLENGER II CHALLENGER
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 0292-80803
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS AT 1,200 FEET AGL FLYING TOWARDS THE COASTLINE FROM THE EAST, AND HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENT AIR CONDITIONS OVER THE EDGE OF THE LAND MASS. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN. HE PUSHED THE CONTROL STICK FORWARD, AND APPLIED RIGHT AILERON AND RUDDER. HE REGAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AT ABOUT 600 FEET AND CIRCLED BACK FOR LANDING. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING AT ABOUT 75 TO 150 FEET AGL OVER THE SAME LAND MASS, THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN. HE ATTEMPTED THE SAME RECOVERY PROCEDURE AS BEFORE WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE WATER IN A NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. HE STATED HE COULD NOT REMEMBER WHAT HIS AIRSPEED WAS BEFORE THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO THE LEFT, AND THAT HE HAD NOT DETERMINED THE NEW STALL SPEED FOR THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF THE FLOAT KIT. HE FURTHER STATED THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROLS, ENGINE ASSEMBLY OR ACCESSORIES.
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
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 72 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 21, 1994; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hirth 2703-2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Holiday Isle FL at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from HST, 20 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.