20080404835439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bardou Quadcityultr · Sobieski, WI · April 4, 2008

Date: April 4, 2008 · 12:00 local
Place: Sobieski, WI
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N423V
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI08CA114
Reported as: Bardou Quadcityultr
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX503
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 252 total252 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N423VRegistration cancelled Oct 31, 2017 · Bardouche Gerald J QUAD CITY ULTRALIGHTS/N 1298-CW-0713 · Built 2001 Airframe modelBardouche Gerald J QUAD CITY ULTRALIGHT Engine modelRotax 503 DCDI2 cycle

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.

(-23) Took off from pulaski airport and landed at occonto airport. Left occonto to return to pulaski. While in cruise at around 1300 feet the engine lost RPM to idle or below. RPM drop was rapid. Engine controls had no effect on engine RPM. Aircraft ended up in a grove of pine trees stuck about 25 feet up. Owner/operator indicated that during wreckage recovery he noticed a spark plug had fallen out of the spark plug bore. He stated that he had previously used a "thread chaser" to clean up the threads of that plug bore. Engine was inspected by inspector privacy data omitted. Investigation revealed that the spark plug bore threads had been recut oversize where thread bore/plug was a loose fit.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) TOOK OFF FROM PULASKI AIRPORT AND LANDED AT OCCONTO AIRPORT. LEFT OCCONTO TO RETURN TO PULASKI. WHILE IN CRUISE AT AROUND 1300 FEET THE ENGINE LOST RPM TO IDLE OR BELOW. RPM DROP WAS RAPID. ENGINE CONTROLS HAD NO EFFECT ON ENGINE RPM. AIRCRAFT ENDED UP IN A GROVE OF PINE TREES STUCK ABOUT 25 FEET UP. OWNER/OPERATOR INDICATED THAT DURING WRECKAGE RECOVERY HE NOTICED A SPARK PLUG HAD FALLEN OUT OF THE SPARK PLUG BORE. HE STATED THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY USED A "THREAD CHASER" TO CLEAN UP THE THREADS OF THAT PLUG BORE. ENGINE WAS INSPECTED BY INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE SPARK PLUG BORE THREADS HAD BEEN RECUT OVERSIZE WHERE THREAD BORE/PLUG WAS A LOOSE FIT.

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 CHI08CA114Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportPulaski, WIThe loss of engine power during cruise due to the separation of the spark plug because of the loose threads. Contributing to the accident was trees.Apr 4, 2008 · Substantial damage