What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 25, 2026, an aircraft accident involving a privacy data omitted with two pilots occurred. The aircraft departed from chatham municipal airport (cqx) for a post-maintenance test flight, following a recent engine overhaul, with the destination being Block Island State Airport (bid) for the purpose of engine break-in. At approximately 4:51 pm, during final approach to bid, the pilot in control reported that the throttle was unresponsive and was unable to regulate the engine's RPM for landing. The second pilot assumed control and confirmed the throttle malfunction.
Given the aircraft's shallow descent and high speed over the runway, the pilots determined that executing a go-around was not feasible due to the risk of power loss and potential stalling. Consequently, they decided to shut off the engine and attempt a glide landing in an open field near the runway. The aircraft executed a hard landing, and both pilots exited with minor injuries. Emergency services were notified, and the Block Island fire department, Block Island rescue squad, and new shoreham police responded to the scene. Upon arrival, emergency personnel reported that both pilots were alert and ambulatory. The both pilots were transported to rhode Island hospital for further evaluation and were subsequently discharged the following day.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 25, 2026, AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVOLVING A ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH TWO PILOTS OCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM CHATHAM MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (CQX) FOR A POST-MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT, FOLLOWING A RECENT ENGINE OVERHAUL, WITH THE DESTINATION BEING BLOCK ISLAND STATE AIRPORT (BID) FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENGINE BREAK-IN. AT APPROXIMATELY 4:51 PM, DURING FINAL APPROACH TO BID, THE PILOT IN CONTROL REPORTED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE AND WAS UNABLE TO REGULATE THE ENGINE'S RPM FOR LANDING. THE SECOND PILOT ASSUMED CONTROL AND CONFIRMED THE THROTTLE MALFUNCTION.
GIVEN THE AIRCRAFT'S SHALLOW DESCENT AND HIGH SPEED OVER THE RUNWAY, THE PILOTS DETERMINED THAT EXECUTING A GO-AROUND WAS NOT FEASIBLE DUE TO THE RISK OF POWER LOSS AND POTENTIAL STALLING. CONSEQUENTLY, THEY DECIDED TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND ATTEMPT A GLIDE LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT EXECUTED A HARD LANDING, AND BOTH PILOTS EXITED WITH MINOR INJURIES. EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE NOTIFIED, AND THE BLOCK ISLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT, BLOCK ISLAND RESCUE SQUAD, AND NEW SHOREHAM POLICE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. UPON ARRIVAL, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT BOTH PILOTS WERE ALERT AND AMBULATORY. THE BOTH PILOTS WERE TRANSPORTED TO RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL FOR FURTHER EVALUATION AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY DISCHARGED THE FOLLOWING DAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.