OpenAirDocs.org

20250828011369I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Patterson John F CHALLENGER II · Honesdale, PA · August 28, 2025

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 28, 2025 · 18:00 local
Place
Honesdale, PA
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N2489H
Reported as
Patterson John F Challenger II
Reported engine
ROTAX 503ULDCDI
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Sport pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
392 total
N2489HRegistered now · Patterson John F CHALLENGER IIS/N CH2-1005-CW-2682 · Built 2008Airframe modelPatterson John F CHALLENGER IIEngine modelRotax 503ULDCDI2 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.

Aircraft departed runway 18 on cherry ridge airport (N30) after 10-15 minute taxi, warmup, and runup period. During climbout the engine suddenly stopped. Pilot executed successful forced landing in cow pasture resulting in minor damage to aircraft when right wheel struck a rock.

Aircraft and engine were examined, no defects or conditions that would preclude normal operation were noted. The engine started and ran normally the next day.

Aircraft aerodynamic and engine controls were continuous and correct, fuel system contained adequate uncontaminated fuel and no leaks. The ignition system, including spark plugs, was unremarkable. Induction and exhaust systems were unobstructed. Field compression teat of both cylinders appeared normal.

The aircraft and engine had the requisite annual condition inspection approximately 40 days and 0.0 hours before this incident. This was the first flight since the inspection, and the first flight for the privacy data omitted, who was experienced in this make/model aircraft.

The engine manufacturer supplies the following warning, and other warnings about using this engine in flight in the Rotax operator’s manual part number 899120 states (section 4.2) warning: this engine, by it’s design, is subject to sudden stoppage.

The cause of this power loss could not be determined.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 18 ON CHERRY RIDGE AIRPORT (N30) AFTER 10-15 MINUTE TAXI, WARMUP, AND RUNUP PERIOD. DURING CLIMBOUT THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. PILOT EXECUTED SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING IN COW PASTURE RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT WHEN RIGHT WHEEL STRUCK A ROCK.

AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WERE EXAMINED, NO DEFECTS OR CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PRECLUDE NORMAL OPERATION WERE NOTED. THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY THE NEXT DAY.

AIRCRAFT AERODYNAMIC AND ENGINE CONTROLS WERE CONTINUOUS AND CORRECT, FUEL SYSTEM CONTAINED ADEQUATE UNCONTAMINATED FUEL AND NO LEAKS. THE IGNITION SYSTEM, INCLUDING SPARK PLUGS, WAS UNREMARKABLE. INDUCTION AND EXHAUST SYSTEMS WERE UNOBSTRUCTED. FIELD COMPRESSION TEAT OF BOTH CYLINDERS APPEARED NORMAL.

THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE HAD THE REQUISITE ANNUAL CONDITION INSPECTION APPROXIMATELY 40 DAYS AND 0.0 HOURS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT SINCE THE INSPECTION, AND THE FIRST FLIGHT FOR THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WHO WAS EXPERIENCED IN THIS MAKE/MODEL AIRCRAFT.

THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER SUPPLIES THE FOLLOWING WARNING, AND OTHER WARNINGS ABOUT USING THIS ENGINE IN FLIGHT IN THE ROTAX OPERATOR’S MANUAL PART NUMBER 899120 STATES (SECTION 4.2) WARNING: THIS ENGINE, BY IT’S DESIGN, IS SUBJECT TO SUDDEN STOPPAGE.

THE CAUSE OF THIS POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.