As homebuilt airplanes become more and more numerous, they naturally figure more prominently in the accident statistics. As you might expect, they are more prone to accidents arising from design or construction errors than certified airplanes are. A look at their fatal accidents for a single month-July, 2001-reveals this pattern and others as well.
The first accident occurred on July 2nd. A Challenger II, a tandem two-seat ultralight of Seabee-like configuration, with a high wing and engine and a low boom supporting the empennage, struck trees during an attempted return to the airport when its engine failed shortly after takeoff. The pilot had flown the airplane very little-reportedly only two hours in the past year, and not at all within the past three or four months. Although it had been registered, the N-number was not painted on the airplane, and the required data plate was also absent. According to FAA records, in fact, it had never been licensed.
