Capstaff CHALLENGER II accident near Southern Pines, NC
On May 21, 1997, a Capstaff CHALLENGER II (airplane) was involved in an accident near Southern Pines, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 21, 1997
- Place
- Southern Pines, NC
- Aircraft
- Capstaff CHALLENGER II · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.241°N, 81.600°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X07852
NTSB summary
On May 20, 1997, about 2030 eastern daylight time, a Capstaff Challenger II, an unregistered homebuilt/experimental airplane, collided with power lines after takeoff in Southern Pines, North Carolina. It subsequently crashed into a pond at the Legacy Golf Course in Southern Pines, North Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot was fatally injured, the passenger received minor injuries, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. The flight departed a private airstrip about 2025 the same day. According to a witness statement contained in the police report on this accident, the passenger stated he and the pilot "took off from the airstrip at their house and were flying around 3,500 feet, flying around in a big circle". The plane then struck power lines in the area. According to the passenger, "there was a loud pop and the plane went belly up and then it hit the water." The passenger was then thrown from the airplane because he "was not strapped in". He checked on the pilot, but was not able to remove him from the airplane. The passenger then stated he swam to shore, found a house, and called 911. According to a witness who was playing golf on the golf course at the time of the accident, he saw the airplane come down and fly "the length of the pond about 1 foot off of the water. At the end of the pond, the plane's wheels were actually touching the water". The plane then climbed a few feet and turned around for another pass
Probable cause
The pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol which led to his failure to maintain clearance from obstacles.
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Browse: North Carolina
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
