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20241120019119A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Holtz Rodney R CHALLENGER II · Concord, NH · November 20, 2024

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 20, 2024 · 10:53 local
Place
Concord, NH
Airport
Concord Municipal
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1666R
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA25LA063
Reported as
Holtz Rodney R Challenger II
Reported engine
ROTAX 503 DCDI
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,351 total8 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days
N1666RRegistered now · Holtz Rodney R CHALLENGER IIS/N CH2-0899-1897 · Built 2008Airframe modelHoltz Rodney R CHALLENGER IIEngine 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.

Pilot stated that after takeoff he performed a left-hand turn at approximately 1,000 ft above ground level. During the turn the right-hand main entrance door popped open causing noise and buffeting in cabin. Pilot stated he attempted to close the door while trying to maintain level flight. Pilot stated he was unable to maintain level flight and continued to lose altitude while in a constant left-hand turn and unable to get lined up on the runway to perform a sucessful landing. Pilot stated that when he was approximately 15-20 feet above ground level he reduced engine power to minimum causing the aircraft to stall and impact the ground in a wings level attutude and collapse the landing gear causing substantial damage to the aircraft nose structure. No injuries reported.

Pilot stated that there was nothing wrong with the flight controls and FAA iic performed a flight control continuity check to confirm. Pilot stated that he may have overcontrolled the aircraft while trying to close the door.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF HE PERFORMED A LEFT-HAND TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. DURING THE TURN THE RIGHT-HAND MAIN ENTRANCE DOOR POPPED OPEN CAUSING NOISE AND BUFFETING IN CABIN. PILOT STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE DOOR WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. PILOT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT AND CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE WHILE IN A CONSTANT LEFT-HAND TURN AND UNABLE TO GET LINED UP ON THE RUNWAY TO PERFORM A SUCESSFUL LANDING. PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15-20 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL HE REDUCED ENGINE POWER TO MINIMUM CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL AND IMPACT THE GROUND IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTUTUDE AND COLLAPSE THE LANDING GEAR CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT NOSE STRUCTURE. NO INJURIES REPORTED.

PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND FAA IIC PERFORMED A FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECK TO CONFIRM. PILOT STATED THAT HE MAY HAVE OVERCONTROLLED THE AIRCRAFT WHILE TRYING TO CLOSE THE DOOR.

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 ERA25LA063Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportConcord, NHThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control and eventual stall/mush of the airplane while trying to secure an open door in flight.Nov 20, 2024 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1666R · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20180723017829ALanding: Touchdown · Oshkosh, WIPilot was on landing approach and made wide turn to runway. Aircraft stalled hit the ground and spun until hitting a fence.Jul 23, 2018 · Substantial damage