# Accident 19971001029359A: Amtr CHALLENGERII, Lake City, MI, October 1, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 1, 1997, 18:30 local time
- Place: Lake City, MI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.3309° N, 85.2002° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3309&lon=-85.2002&mi=10
- Aircraft: N19006, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N19006-2000-01-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mikowski James A CHALLENGER II SPECL (registry code 05676SL, https://openairdocs.org/model/mikowski-james-a-challenger-ii-specl) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR CHALLENGERII
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX521
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 135 total, 11 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA002) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971001029359A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA002), Oct 1, 1997: Mikowski Challenger II S (N19006), Lake City, MI, destroyed. Probable cause: the 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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