Aircraft Mfg & Dev. Co. CH 2000 accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, March 10, 2008
On March 10, 2008 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Aircraft Mfg & Dev. Co. CH 2000, registered N8500B, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Scottsdale, Arizona. It was an instructional 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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident were the sign and a vehicle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2008 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Scottsdale, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aircraft Mfg & Dev. Co. CH 2000
- Registration
- N8500B · no longer on the register · serial 20-1014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that the engine lost power while in cruise flight en route to a designated practice area. The CFI performed the emergency checklist and initiated a forced landing to a nearby road. The right wing struck a street sign as the CFI steered the airplane to the right to avoid an oncoming vehicle during the landing roll. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage and right wing were structurally damaged. The left and right wing fuel vent lines were clear and free of debris. A source of fuel was plumbed into the wing root line fitting and the engine was started and run at various RPM settings with no abnormalities. No anomalies were noted with the engine or airframe. Recovery personnel recovered 28 gallons of fuel from the airplane and the fuel system was free of debris. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 870 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 154 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 772 as pilot in command; 397 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 154 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 38 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,487.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 1, 2008; 39.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,692 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Crm Aviation Training Center
The flight
- Departed from: KSDL Scottsdale AZ at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KSDL, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.