# NTSB CEN25LA385: Quicksilver MX II, Rossville, IN, September 12, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 12, 2025, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Rossville, IN - Coordinates: 40.415178, -86.57852 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4152&lon=-86.5785&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report January 9, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 201027 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA385 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201027/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201027 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA385 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while flying about 100 ft above ground level in the unregistered airplane, he looked at his phone to determine his location during which time the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and impacted a bean field resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: QUICKSILVER MX II - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: UNK - Engines: Rotax GMBH 582 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: None - Departed: 1I9, Delphi, IN ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 84; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 850 total, 75 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: KLAF, 17 nm away - METAR: KLAF 121354Z 08003KT 10SM CLR 19/13 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP233 T01940128,M ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201027. 2.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19596955&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19596773&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� FAA (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19596763&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA-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. --- 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.