Amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II and Cessna 172 accident near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, May 31, 1994
On May 31, 1994 at about 2:55 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II (N246RL) and Cessna 172 (N62463), were involved in the same accident near Jackson Hole, Wyoming (Jackson Hole airport). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE CHRISTEN EAGLE II, N246RL, TO SEE AND AVOID THE CESSNA 172, N62463, AND THE PILOT OF THE CHRISTEN EAGLE II DIVERTING HIS ATTENTION FROM OPERATION OF HIS AIRPLANE.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE CHRISTEN EAGLE II, N246RL, TO SEE AND AVOID THE CESSNA 172, N62463, AND THE PILOT OF THE CHRISTEN EAGLE II DIVERTING HIS ATTENTION FROM OPERATION OF HIS AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1994 · about 2:55 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming · Jackson Hole · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II CHRISTEN E
- Registration
- N246RL · registry record · serial L-0026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N62463 · no longer on the register · serial 2072436
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, THE PILOT OF THE CHRISTEN EAGLE II, N246RL, BECAME DISTRACTED WHEN HE LOOKED INTO THE COCKPIT TO CHECK THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL. WHEN HE LOOKED UP, IT WAS TOO LATE TO KEEP FROM HITTING THE CESSNA 172, N62463, THAT WAS PARKED IN THE RUN-UP AREA PREPARING FOR DEPARTURE. THE EAGLE II PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN HIS AIRCRAFT TO AVOID THE COLLISION, BUT BOTH RIGHT WINGS IMPACTED THE CE-172.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, THE PILOT OF THE CHRISTEN EAGLE II, N246RL, BECAME DISTRACTED WHEN HE LOOKED INTO THE COCKPIT TO CHECK THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL. WHEN HE LOOKED UP, IT WAS TOO LATE TO KEEP FROM HITTING THE CESSNA 172, N62463, THAT WAS PARKED IN THE RUN-UP AREA PREPARING FOR DEPARTURE. THE EAGLE II PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN HIS AIRCRAFT TO AVOID THE COLLISION, BUT BOTH RIGHT WINGS IMPACTED THE CE-172.
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 for the amateur-built CHRISTEN EAGLE II from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 890 hours in all; 512 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 876 as pilot in command; 312 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,112 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 19, 1994; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 SEA94LA130.