Amateur-built CHALLENGER II accident near Astatula, Florida, April 7, 1999
On April 7, 1999 at about 4:15 pm local time, a amateur-built CHALLENGER II, registered N929DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Astatula, Florida. It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The aircraft structure fluttering inflight resulting in fracture of fuselage longerons and the pilot being unable to maintain control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1999 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Astatula, Florida · 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
- N929DB · registry record · serial CH20496CW147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing Phase I flight testing of the homebuilt aircraft and investigating the upper flight envelope. While descending through 4,000 feet msl at a speed of 115-118 mph, the aircraft began to flutter. He reduced engine power and raised the nose at which time he heard a loud 'pop' noise. The aircraft went out of control, rolling to an inverted position. The pilot activated the aircraft's ballistic recovery parachute and the aircraft and pilot landed in an orange grove. Postcrash examination showed 2 fuselage longerons had fractured. The manufacturer had determined the never exceed speed (Vne) for the aircraft to be 120 mph.
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: 208 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 208 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1999; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X61 Zellwood FL at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from ORL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N929DB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA99LA119.