Flight Was Reportedly The First For The Airplane's New Owner

The first flight for the new owner of a Cristen Eagle-II ended in tragedy when he and the previous owner, a flight instructor, were fatally injured after the airplane apparently lost power and went down shortly after takeoff. So far, there's no way to know whether the engine failure was mechanical, or the result of pilot error.

NTSB Image Of Accident

NTSB Identification: CEN11FA616
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, September 04, 2011 in Seward, NE
Aircraft: LARSON KEN W CHRISTEN EAGLE-II, registration: N88CE
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On September 4, 2011, about 0935 central daylight time, a Larson Christen Eagle-II, N88CE, experienced a total loss of engine power after takeoff from the Seward Municipal Airport (SWT), Seward, Nebraska. The airplane subsequently impacted into a cornfield, and the pilot and flight instructor were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the local instructional flight.

An eyewitness described seeing the airplane flying low before it turned left and descended into a field. The airplane came to rest upright on a measured heading of 320 degrees, approximately 1,865 feet from the departure end of runway 34, and 475 feet east of the runway’s extended centerline.

According to paperwork located in the wreckage, the pilot purchased the airplane on August 18, 2011. Reportedly, the accident flight was the pilot’s first familiarization flight since his purchase. The flight instructor located in the front seat had owned the accident airplane from December 11, 2003, to March 11, 2006.

The wreckage was recovered for further examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov