# Accident 19980117000419A: Amtrqc CHALLENGER2, Evergreen, AL, January 17, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 17, 1998, 15:00 local time
- Place: Evergreen, AL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.4301° N, 86.9496° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.4301&lon=-86.9496&mi=10
- Aircraft: N132BC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N132BC-2000-08-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Coats Christopher V CHALLENGER II (registry code 05604Z3, https://openairdocs.org/model/coats-christopher-v-challenger-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTRQC CHALLENGER2
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX503
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 260 total, 46 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA031) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980117000419A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, WHILE CRUISING AT 1200 FEET AND ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPEED. WHEN THE PILOT REDUCED THE THROTTLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY HAD SEPERATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA ON THE NEARBY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN OVERPASS BRIDGE AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY UNDER THE BRIDGE DURING THE FORCED LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, CONFIRMED THAT THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY HAD SEPERATED FROM THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY. DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT SIX PROPELLER RETENTION BOLTS WERE NOT PRESENT WITH THE ENGINE. THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY AND THE SIX PROPELLER RETENTION BOLTS WERE NOT RECOVERED FOR EXAMINATION. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE ASSEMBLED THE AIRPLANE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE KIT INSTRUCTION. THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY WAS INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE AND SECURED WITH SIX 5/16 INCH COARSE THREADED BOLTS PROVIDED. (-23) WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM N132BC, THE RIGHT WING AND NOSE GEAR WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER                                            ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT NON-AVIATION HARDWARE WAS USED, AND NOT REQUIRED FOR THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.

## 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 ATL98LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA031), Jan 17, 1998: Christopher Coats Challenger II (N132BC), Evergreen, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The undetermined failure of the propeller bolts that resulted in the inflight separation of the propeller assembly. A factor was the overpass bridge.

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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