# Accident 19980511008819A: Amtr CHALLENGER2, Wayland, MI, May 11, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 1998, 20:20 local time
- Place: Wayland, MI
- Airport: Calkins Field Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.6690° N, 85.6399° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6690&lon=-85.6399&mi=10
- Aircraft: N199DD, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N199DD) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Dangremond Daniel D CHALLENGER II (registry code 05604QK, https://openairdocs.org/model/dangremond-daniel-d-challenger-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR CHALLENGER2
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX503
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 117 total, 2 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA146) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980511008819A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE PILOT SAID THAT THIS WAS THE AIRPLANE'S FIRST FLIGHT. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE RIGHT WING STRUT SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE.  THE PILOT SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN IT ENTERED A RIGHT SPIN.  THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION.  EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING FORWARD STRUT SHOWED THAT THE ATTACHMENT BOLT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED THROUGH THE FIBERGLASS FAIRING SURROUNDING THE STRUT, BUT NOT THROUGH THE STRUT ITSELF.                  (-23) AIRCRAFT ENTERED A RIGHT FLAT SPIN AT APPROX. 200' AGL PROCEEDING INITIAL TAKEOFF.  RIGHT-FRONT STRUT BOLT WAS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED CAUSING STRUT TO SEPARATE FROM AIRFRAME.  NO INJURIES.

## 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 CHI98LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA146), May 12, 1998: Dangremond Challenger II (N199DD), Wayland, MI, destroyed. Probable cause: the pilot's improper installation of the right wing forward strut attachment bolt.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.