# Accident 19980607013229A: Amtr CHALLENGER2, Pleasant Valley, AZ, June 7, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 7, 1998, 12:30 local time - Place: Pleasant Valley, AZ - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.6805° N, 112.0906° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6805&lon=-112.0906&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2NX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2NX-2013-09-19) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Arner Aubrey CHALLENGER II SPEC (registry code 05676TD, https://openairdocs.org/model/arner-aubrey-challenger-ii-spec) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR CHALLENGER2 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,500 total, 85 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA192) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980607013229A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) LOST POWERL. LANDED DRY RIVER BED ON SOFT SAND. PLUG WIRE CAME OFF. HYDROSTATIC LOCK UP STOPPED 2 CYL. ENGINE. ON JUNE 7, 1998, AT 1230 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN ARNER CHALLENGER II S, N2NX, AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE AND COLLAPSED THE LANDING GEAR AFTER MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A DRY WASH NEAR PLEASANT VALLEY, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT, OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE PLEASANT VALLEY AIRPORT AT 1215. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THEY HAD DEPARTED THE PLEASANT VALLEY AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT NOTED A LOSS OF RPM'S AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN LEVEL FIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE CHOSE A DRY WASH AREA TO MAKE THE EMERGENCY LANDING. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT SANK INTO THE SAND AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE PILOT CONDUCTED AN ENGINE INSPECTION ON-SCENE. HE OBSERVED A BROKEN SPARK PLUG RETAINER S PRING AND THE DETACHMENT OF THE SPARK PLUG WIRE CAP ASSOCIATED WITH IT. (.4) ON JUNE 7, 1998, AT 1230 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN AMER CHALLENGER II S, N2NX, AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE AND COLLAPSED THE LANDING GEAR AFTER MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A DRY WASH NEAR PLEASANT VALLEY, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT, OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE PLEASANT VALLEY AIRPORT AT 1215. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THEY HAD DEPARTED THE PLEASANT VALLEY AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. APPROX. 6 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT NOTED A LOSSS OF RPM'S AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN LEVEL FIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE CHOSE A DRY WASH AREA TO MAKE THE EMERGENCY LANDING. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT SANK INTO THE SAND AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE PILOT CONDUCTED AN ENGINE INSPECTION ON-SCENE. HE OBSERVED A BROKEN SPARK PLUG RETAINER SPRING AND THE DETACHMENT OF THE SPARK PLUG WIR E CAP ASSOCIATED WITH IT. (-23) PILOT, WHILE IN CRUISE FLT., LOST ENGINE POWER AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDING IN AGUA FRIA RIVERWASH ON SOFT SAND. A/C SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO POST-CRASH FIRE, 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 LAX98LA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA192), Jun 7, 1998: Arner Challenger II S (N2NX), Pleasant Valley, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of engine power due to a loose spark plug wire cap caused by a broken spark plug retainer spring. ## Other reports on N2NX (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20020512007929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020512007929A), May 12, 2002: Amtr CHALLENGERII (N2NX), Lubbock, TX, No damage. (-23) On may 12, 2002, while operating near Lubbock Town and Country airport (F86), the aircraft reportedly lost power. The pilot initiated an emergency… 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.