# NTSB CEN13LA298: Allen Jan A Challenger II, N269MM, Greeley, CO, May 22, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 22, 2013, 10:50 local (16:50 UTC) - Place: Greeley, CO - Coordinates: 40.40361, -104.64167 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4036&lon=-104.6417&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Denver FSDO - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 87008 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA298 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87008/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87008 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA298 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to the engine seizure, which resulted from damage caused by the ingestion of carburetor ice into the engine intake ports. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine fuel and control: fuel control/carburetor](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322/cases.md?model=056295C), [All aircraft, 195 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=056295C), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190) (defining event); cases with it: [Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md?model=056295C), [All aircraft, 361 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=056295C), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056295C), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Post-impact: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=056295C), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Post-impact: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=056295C), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, after starting the engine, he taxied the experimental, amateur-built airplane to the runway at idle power. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost total power, and the pilot subsequently performed a downwind, off-airport landing. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted terrain, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear, a complete separation of the left main landing gear, and substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The airplane came to rest upright, and the two occupants exited the cockpit unassisted. A postaccident examination revealed that the two-cylinder, two-stroke carbureted engine was seized and could not rotate because of a mechanical restriction. The piston rings were found damaged, and evidence of vertical scoring was found on the pistons and cylinder walls; the scoring appeared to have originated near the cylinder's intake port. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious icing at glide power. It is likely that the carburetor accumulated ice while the pilot taxied the airplane to the runway at idle power and that the engine ingested that ice sometime after takeoff, which resulted in mechanical damage to the engine and its subsequent loss of power. The airplane was not equipped with provisions for carburetor heat nor was it required to be. ## Factual narrative On May 22, 2013, about 1050 mountain daylight time, an Allen, Jan A - Challenger II, amateur built, single-engine airplane, N269MM, was substantially damaged during an off-airport forced landing during climb to cruise near Greeley-Weld County (GXY), Greeley, Colorado. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan had not been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed from GXY about 1048 and was destined for Erie Municipal Airport (EIK), Erie, Colorado.After engine start, the airplane had been taxied to the runway at idle power. Shortly after takeoff, after climbing to about 1,200 feet above ground level, the pilot reported a complete loss of engine power. He was twice able to get the engine briefly restarted, but each time it ran for only two or three seconds. The pilot performed a downwind off-airport landing to a flat grassy farm field. During the landing roll the airplane impacted a 12 inch berm hidden in the grass which resulted in a collapse of the nose gear, a complete separation of the left main gear, and substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The airplane came to rest upright and the two occupants exited the cockpit unassisted. There was adequate alcohol-free gasoline on-board, and there was adequate oil in the engine oil injection reservoir. The electric fuel boost pump, engine driven fuel pump, fuel lines, fuel filter, carburetors, spark plugs, and other components were examined with no defects noted. The airplane was not equipped with provisions for carburetor heat, nor was it required to be. A postaccident examination showed that the two-cylinder, two-stroke carbureted engine was seized and could not rotate because of a mechanical restriction. There was evidence of vertical scoring on the piston and cylinder wall which appeared to originate near the intake port on cylinder number one. A tear-down examination of the engine confirmed further evidence of vertical scoring on the pistons, damage to the piston rings, and evidence of vertical scoring on the cylinder walls. The closest official weather reporting station was at GXY, about 1 mile north from the accident location. At 1055 the Automated Surface Observation System at GXY reported wind from 110 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear of clouds, temperature 18 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 4 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of Mercury. The carburetor icing probability chart from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB): CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, June 30, 2009, shows a probability of icing at cruise and glide power and a probability of serious icing at glide power at the temperature and dew point reported at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N269MM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N269MM), registered now, S/N CH2-1107-CW-2823, built 2011 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ALLEN JAN A CHALLENGER II - Registry model: [Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II](https://openairdocs.org/model/allen-jan-a-challenger-ii) (registry code 056295C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax SEE BOMBADIER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-see-bombadier) (registry code 55555, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: CH2-1107-CW-2823 - Year built: 2011 - Airframe hours: 95 - Engines: ROTAX 503 DCD1 52 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 2, 2013, 4 hours before - Departed: GXY, Greeley, CO - Destination: EIK, Erie, CO - Airport: GXY, Greeley-Weld County ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review November 5, 2012; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 186 total, 43 in this make and model, 109 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days - Other flight crew; age 36; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KGXY, 1 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 20130522008579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130522008579A), May 22, 2013: Allen Jan A CHALLENGER II, Greeley, CO, Substantial damage. On may 22, 2013 at approx 10:45 LCL, N6106F a Challenger II ultralight sustained substantial damage landing in field near Greeley Colorado. Two soles on board… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87008. 900 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 377 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433328&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Summary of Findings (item 2, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433329&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summary%20of%20Findings-Master.PDF - Maps or Charts of Accident Area (item 3, .PDF, 322 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433330&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maps%20or%20Charts%20of%20Accident%20Area-Master.PDF - Weather Summary (item 4, .PDF, 146 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433331&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Summary-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. --- 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.