# Accident 20250913020969A: Pegasus QUANTUM 15, Bedford, IN, September 13, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 13, 2025, 16:25 local time
- Place: Bedford, IN
- Airport: Virgil I Grissom Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8612° N, 86.4872° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8612&lon=-86.4872&mi=10
- Aircraft: N36TJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N36TJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pegasus QUANTUM 15 (registry code 0590020, https://openairdocs.org/model/pegasus-quantum-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 503 series (registry code 55564, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PEGASUS QUANTUM 15
- Reported engine: ROTAX 503 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA379](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA379) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250913020969A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2025, THE SUBJECT PILOT WAS TAXIING FROM HIS HANGAR TO RUNWAY 24 AT THE VIRGIN I. GRISSOM MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (BFR), BEDFORD, INDIANA. AN A&PIA MECHANIC ON THE FIELD WITNESSED THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE QUIT AS IT APPROACHED TAXIWAY A LEADING UP TO RUNWAY 24.  THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE WATCHED THE PILOT ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE 5 TIMES. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE WITNESS WAS EXPECTING THE AIRCRAFT TO TAXI TO THE MAINTNENANCE SHOP OR RETURN TO THE HANGAR. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO THE RUNWAY AND PROCEEDED WITH A TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 24. THE WITNESS HEARD THE AIRCRAFT ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND RETURN TO THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 24. AT APPROXIMATELY 16:25 LOCAL, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED WITH A SECOND TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. THE WITNESS STATED THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE AIRCRAFT WAS PRODUCING ABOUT FIFTY (50) PERCENT POWER.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN A FLYING SPEED AND THE PILOT TURNED TO THE RIGHT (NORTH). THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A SOYBEAN FIELD 0.2 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 24 AT A HEADING OF 308 DEGREES.

TIRE TRACKS FROM FIRST RESPONDERS DEFORMED THE CROPS SURROUNDING THE IMPACT POINT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE LEFT WING WAS FOLDED BACKWARDS. THE FUSELAGE WAS LAYING ON ITS LEFT SIDE AND AT A HEADING OF 210 DEGREES.

IMPACT TO THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT FACTURED THE FIBERGLASS FUSELAGE AND PUSHED THE NOSEGEAR UPWARDS AND INWARDS INTO THE FUSELAGE. THE NOSE LOW IMPACT ANGLE WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE MAIN GEAR CONTACTING THE 30 INCH TALL SOYBEAN FIRST, CAUSING A FORWARD PITCHING MOMENT

FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS IN THE "ON" POSITION. ALL THREE PROPELLERS STRUCK THE GROUND AND DELAMINATED

## 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 CEN25LA379](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA379), Sep 13, 2025: Pegasus Quantum 15 (N36TJ), Bedford, IN, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

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.