19971001029359A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr Challengerii · Lake City, MI · October 1, 1997

Date: October 1, 1997 · 18:30 local
Place: Lake City, MI
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N19006
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI98LA002
Reported as: Amtr Challengerii
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX521
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 135 total11 in this make and model

N19006Registration cancelled Jan 18, 2000 · Mikowski James A CHALLENGER II SPECLS/N CH20391CW0652 Airframe modelMikowski James A CHALLENGER II SPECL

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Lost control on takeoff. (.4)the pilot departed the airport for a short local flight. The pilot stated he throttled back and could no longer maintain control of the aircraft. He said he tried to increase the power, but the engine quit. He descended in a left bank into trees. The previous day the pilot added a door kit to the aircraft. The manufacturer of the kit recommends adding a rudder trim tab to the aircraft. No trim tab was found. Examination revealed that the fuel in the tank had 'excessive oil to fuel ratio.' The engine run unsuccessful until the spark plugs were changed. (-23) aircraft departed Lake City, home acres sky ranch airport. Several witnesses stated they observed the aircraft flying very low in a north east direction. One witness stated he heard the engine stall. Shortly thereafter, the aircrafted disappeared into a heavily wooded area and crashed.

As the FAA filed it

LOST CONTROL ON TAKEOFF. (.4)THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT FOR A SHORT LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED HE THROTTLED BACK AND COULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE SAID HE TRIED TO INCREASE THE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE QUIT. HE DESCENDED IN A LEFT BANK INTO TREES. THE PREVIOUS DAY THE PILOT ADDED A DOOR KIT TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE KIT RECOMMENDS ADDING A RUDDER TRIM TAB TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO TRIM TAB WAS FOUND. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL IN THE TANK HAD 'EXCESSIVE OIL TO FUEL RATIO.' THE ENGINE RUN UNSUCCESSFUL UNTIL THE SPARK PLUGS WERE CHANGED. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LAKE CITY, HOME ACRES SKY RANCH AIRPORT. SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THEY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING VERY LOW IN A NORTH EAST DIRECTION. ONE WITNESS STATED HE HEARD THE ENGINE STALL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFTED DISAPPEARED INTO A HEAVILY WOODED AREA AND CRASHED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI98LA002Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLake City, MIthe improper oil to gas mixture in the fuel during refueling and the pilot did not follow the written instructions from the kit manufacturer. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot could not maintain directional control and the low altitude.Oct 1, 1997 · Destroyed