# NTSB CEN10CA200: Quicksilver Sport 2S, N439MM, Canton, TX, April 9, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: April 8, 2010, 19:00 local (Apr 9, 2010, 00:00 UTC)
- Place: Canton, TX
- Coordinates: 32.578056, -95.871391 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5781&lon=-95.8714&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 22, 2010
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 75729
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10CA200
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75729/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75729
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA200

## Probable cause

The airplane builder’s improper installation of the left rear wing strut eyebolt.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Owner/builder (probable cause); cases with it: [Quicksilver SPORT 2S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=0590025), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333) (defining event); cases with it: [Quicksilver SPORT 2S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md?model=0590025), [All aircraft, 410 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Quicksilver SPORT 2S, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0590025), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

While in a turn at low altitude, the pilot of the open cockpit experimental airplane heard a “loud pop,” followed by a change in the feel of the flight controls. The pilot elected to reduce the engine power to idle and activate the ballistic recovery system (BRS). Seconds later the airplane impacted into an area of trees and came to rest in the trees near the ground. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. An examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing rear strut threaded eyebolt had pulled free from the threaded barrel of the wing strut. The thread-to-barrel engagement was measured at 5/32 of an inch with approximately 16 threads exposed. Per the manufacturer’s assembly manual, the eyebolt was to have a minimum of 5/8 of an inch thread-to-barrel engagement with approximately three-and-a-half threads exposed.

## Factual narrative

While in a turn at low altitude, the pilot of the open cockpit experimental airplane heard a “loud pop,” followed by a change in the feel of the flight controls. The pilot elected to reduce the engine power to idle and activate the ballistic recovery system (BRS). Seconds later the airplane impacted into an area of trees and came to rest in the trees near the ground. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. An examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing rear strut threaded eyebolt had pulled free from the threaded barrel of the wing strut. The thread-to-barrel engagement was measured at 5/32 of an inch with approximately 16 threads exposed. Per the manufacturer’s assembly manual, the eyebolt was to have a minimum of 5/8 of an inch thread-to-barrel engagement with approximately three-and-a-half threads exposed.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N439MM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N439MM-2018-02-15), registration cancelled 2018-02-15, S/N 0189 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: QUICKSILVER SPORT 2S
- Registry model: [Quicksilver SPORT 2S](https://openairdocs.org/model/quicksilver-sport-2s) (registry code 0590025) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 582UL DCDI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ul-dcdi) (registry code 55563, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 0189
- Engines: ROTAX 582UL DCDI 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: 1TA7, Canton, TX
- Destination: Canton, TX

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; seat: left; flight hours: 281 total, 65 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20100408031579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100408031579A), Apr 8, 2010: Quicksilver SPORT 2S, Canton, TX, Substantial damage. Mr. Charles dennis took off from tailwind airpark at 6:30 pm, 4/8/2010. At about 7;00 pm he initiated a turn to land at same airport. He heard a pop, and lost…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75729. 7.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 7.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40331488&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Digital Photo 1, Rod End (item 2, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40331493&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Digital%20Photo%201,%20Rod%20End-Master.PDF

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.

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