# Accident 20130908018879A: Cantrell V G/Cantrell Lw CHALLENGER II SP, Prineville, OR, September 8, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 8, 2013, 11:30 local time
- Place: Prineville, OR
- Airport: Prineville Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unknown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.2903° N, 120.8878° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.2903&lon=-120.8878&mi=10
- Aircraft: N65VG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N65VG-2018-02-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cantrell V G/Cantrell LW CHALLENGER II SP (registry code 05605MR, https://openairdocs.org/model/cantrell-v-g-cantrell-lw-challenger-ii-sp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CANTRELL V G/CANTRELL LW CHALLENGER II SP
- Reported engine: BOMBARDIER 503 UL DCDI
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 74 total, 28 in this make and model, 22 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13FA400](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA400) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130908018879A

## Narrative

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

BASED ON EYEWITNESS REPORTS THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED:  EYEWITNESS HEARD ENGINE SPUTTERING AND LOOKED UP TO SEE AIRPLANE MAKING ABRUPT NOSE DIVES AND RECOVERIES TO LEVEL FLIGHT, APPROXIMATELY THREE TIMES, WITH ASSOCIATED ENGINE SPUTTERING AND THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE THROTTLING UP.  HE SAID THAT HE SAW THE AILERONS GOING UP AND DOWN AND THE RIGHT-HAND ELEVATOR FLAILING IN THE WIND WITH THE PILOT WORKING THE CONTROL STICK FORWARD AND AFT AND RIGHT TO LEFT.  HE DID NOT WITNESS THE AIRPLANE IMPACTING THE GROUND BUT BEFORE LOSING SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE HE SAW THAT THE PROP HAD STOPPED TURNING AND DID NOT HEAR ANY ENGINE NOISE.

A PRINEVILLE, OR, POLICE OFFICER WITNESSED THE AIRCRAFT FLY OVER A ONE-STORY BUILDING AT APPROXIMATELY 3-STORIES IN ALTITUDE.  THE OFFICER REPORTED THAT THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHAKING BADLY WITH A CORRESPONDING THUMPING SOUND.  HE SAW THE PROP TURNING BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT SOUND SMOOTH, LIKE IT WAS MISSING, NOT FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS.  THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD TO IMMEDIATELY GAIN ALTITUDE TO CLEAR POWER LINES ACROSS THE ROAD.  AFTER CLEARING THE POWER LINES THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT ALMOST A 90° ANGLE, APPROXIMATELY 30 YARDS FROM THE ROAD, ON PRINEVILLE AIRPORT PROPERTY.  THE PILOT WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE, AND DETERMINED TO BE DEAD AT THE SCENE.

## 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 WPR13FA400](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA400), Sep 8, 2013: Cantrell LW Challenger II SP (N65VG), Prineville, OR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The in-flight failure of the left elevator control torque tube. Contributing to the accident was the improper assembly of the elevator control torque tubes.

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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