Boone Inc Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boone, North Carolina 28607
Saturday, February 9, 2008 10:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the Christen Eagle II said he was "lined up well," for the runway but just prior to landing, the left wing struck trees, and the airplane impacted the ground near the runway threshold. The airplane came to rest inverted, and even though it was upside down, and the pilot had difficulty releasing the canopy, he was able to exit the airplane unassisted. Photographic evidence indicated that the trees were located approximately 80 feet prior to the threshold, with tops approximately 20 feet above the runway elevation. The runway threshold was not displaced, and the presence of the trees was not included in the commercially available obstacle notation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance/altitude while on the final leg of the traffic pattern. Contributing to the accident were the proximity of the trees to the threshold, and the lack of a displaced threshold.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/9/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Boone
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28607
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude Plas e.
Event Location Longitude 0813840W
Event Location Airport Boone Inc Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NC14
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 3120
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1102 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID GEV
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23336
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Feb 12 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 31 2008 11:52AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA/FSDO Charlotte NC

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N712RP
NTSB Number NYC08CA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Christen Industries
Aircraft Model Eagle II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1002
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ralph Lerch
Aircraft Owner Street Address 926 Appalachian Dr
Aircraft Owner City Boone
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28607
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Boone
Operator State NC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NC14
Departure City Boone
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 22 2008 10:15PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 42
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --