# NTSB CEN21LA098: Quad City Challenger II, N895BT, Waldron, MO, December 26, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: December 26, 2020, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place: Waldron, MO
- Coordinates: 39.230667, -94.801305 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2307&lon=-94.8013&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 102457
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA098
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102457/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102457
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA098

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare during the rejected takeoff that resulted in a hard landing and nose landing gear collapse.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Thompson Brian G CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=05639SI), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Thompson Brian G CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=05639SI), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Thompson Brian G CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=05639SI), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that during a high-speed taxi test, the airplane became unexpectedly airborne. He lowered the nose to get back on the ground and the nose landing gear struck the ground and came through the floor of the airplane. The airplane bounced back into the air, came back down to the left, and struck the ground again. The fuselage and the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot sustained a broken leg.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N895BT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N895BT-2021-04-08), registration cancelled 2021-04-08, S/N CH2-0217-2912 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Quad City Aircraft Corp Challenger II
- Registry model: [Thompson Brian G CHALLENGER II](https://openairdocs.org/model/thompson-brian-g-challenger-ii) (registry code 05639SI) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: CH2-0217-2912
- Engines: Rotax Unk reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: 06MO, Noah'S Ark, runway 15/33, 3,000 × 30 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 3 knots
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observed at: MCI, 5 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 20201226019139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201226019139A), Dec 26, 2020: Thompson Brian G CHALLENGER II, Waldon, MO, Destroyed. During high speed taxing to test an airspeed indicator, the pilot lost control when the aircraft expectantly lifted off the runway. The aircraft rolled left,…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102457. 1.6 MB in all.

- Pilot statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 550 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12157212&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20signed%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo of wreckage (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12157059&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.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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