# NTSB CEN13LA227: Quad City Ultralight Acft Challenger I, N171DP, Winnie, TX, April 14, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 14, 2013, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Winnie, TX - Coordinates: 29.818889, -94.431114 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8189&lon=-94.4311&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report March 24, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 86649 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA227 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86649/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86649 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA227 ## Probable cause The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff due to his fixation on the instrument panel. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER I, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05901S5), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER I, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=05901S5), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot; cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER I, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md?model=05901S5), [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER I, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05901S5), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER I, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05901S5), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis When the light-sport airplane was about 300 to 400 feet above ground level, the pilot leveled it off and reduced engine power. He stated that he "fixated" on the instrument panel instead of concentrating on flying and didn't notice that the airplane had banked left. The pilot stated that he wanted to perform practice takeoffs and landings, so he wanted to do a quick turn and applied left aileron pedal. The airplane subsequently pitched down and started to spin, likely because the airplane banked too far left and stalled. The pilot pulled back on the control stick and applied full right aileron. Shortly thereafter, as the airplane started to recover from the spin, the wing contacted the ground. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions or failures occurred during the accident flight. He did not have a pilot's license. ## Factual narrative On April 14, 2013, about 0900 central daylight time, an experimental Quad City Ultralight Acft Corp Challenger I airplane, N171DP, descended and impacted terrain following a takeoff from the Chambers County-Winnie/Stowell Airport, near Winnie, Texas. The pilot who was the sole occupant sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a VFR flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.The pilot had recently purchased the airplane. According to the pilot's accident report, he climbed the airplane and was at 300 to 400 feet above ground level where he leveled the airplane off and reduced its engine power. He stated that he fixated on the instrument panel instead of staying concentrated on flying. The pilot indicated that he did not feel the airplane bank left and he "mashed down on the left aileron pedal too much." The airplane pitched down and started to spin. The pilot pulled on the "stick" and applied "full right aileron." The airplane did not immediately respond to the pilot's control inputs. As the airplane recovered from the spin, the wing made contact with the ground. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane during the accident flight. He did not have a Federal Aviation Administration pilot's license nor a medical certificate. A witness, who was the prior owner of the accident airplane, observed the pilot and airplane during the takeoff. He saw the pilot "immediately start cross controlling the airplane." The witness thought the control inputs were full left rudder and right aileron. After the airplane climbed between 200 to 300 feet above ground level, the airplane started a left turn. The airplane made a complete 360 degree turn, it pitched down where its wings leveled, and it began making a right turn that tightened and appeared to develop into a spin. The right wing struck the ground first, followed by the nose and the left wing. He indicated that the aircraft came to rest upright. At 0935, the recorded weather at the Beaumont Municipal Airport, near Beaumont, Texas, was: Wind 060 at 3 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition overcast clouds at 1,100 feet: temperature 20 degrees C; dew point 17 degrees C; altimeter 29.79 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N171DP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N171DP-2015-05-20), registration cancelled 2015-05-20, S/N 0994-0505, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: QUAD CITY ULTRALIGHT ACFT CORP CHALLENGER I - Registry model: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER I](https://openairdocs.org/model/quad-city-ultralight-acft-challenger-i) (registry code 05901S5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 503DCSI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503dcsi) (registry code 55567, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0994-0505 - Engines: Rotax 503 48 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: T90, Winnie, TX - Destination: T90, Winnie, TX - Airport: T90, Chambers County-Winnie Stowell ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: serious; seat: single; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 150 total, 2 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,100 ft overcast - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: BMT, 19 nm away ## 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 20130414012499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130414012499A), Apr 14, 2013: Quad City Ultralight Acft Corp CHALLENGER I, Winnie, TX, Destroyed. The pilot had just bought a new aircraft, which was registered in the light sport category. The pilot did not hold a sport pilot certificate; however he did… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 3, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86649. 1.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409141&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement - Prior Owner Watching the Takeoff (item 2, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391002&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%20-%20Prior%20Owner%20Watching%20the%20Takeoff-Redacted.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. --- 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.