# NTSB FTW94LA084: Noble Quickie Q-200, N827Q, N. Little Rock, AR, February 19, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 19, 1994, 13:50 local (19:50 UTC) - Place: N. Little Rock, AR - Location: 34.7695° N, 92.2671° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of North Little Rock, AR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7695&lon=-92.2671&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report November 14, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19000 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW94LA084 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19000/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94LA084 ## Probable cause THE PILOT/OWNER'S INACCURATE CALCULATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S CENTER OF GRAVITY. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE CORRECT CALCULATION PROCEDURE. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - aircraft weight and balance - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause) - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - remedial action - not possible, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis ACCORDING TO THE PILOT/OWNER, HE RECALCULATED THE AIRPLANE'S WEIGHT AND C.G., AFTER ANOTHER PILOT HAD COMPLAINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING NOSE HEAVY AND UNSTABLE IN THE PITCH AXIS. DURING THE RECALCULATION THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT 25 LBS. OF BALLAST NEEDED TO BE ADDED AT STATION 175 IN THE TAIL. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOTED THAT HIS CALCULATIONS WERE NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH EITHER THE OWNER'S MANUAL OR THE AIRCRAFT SPECIFIC WEIGHT AND BALANCE COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT HE USED. THE WEIGHT WAS ADDED AND DURING THE ENSUING TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE PITCHED NOSE UP AT LIFTOFF, BECAME LONGITUDINALLY UNSTABLE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND. ## Factual narrative On February 19, 1994, at 1350 central standard time, a Noble Quickie Q-200 home built, N827Q, was substantially damaged during takeoff at the North Little Rock, Arkansas, municipal airport. The airplane, flown by the owner/private pilot, was departing on what was to have been a local personal flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Both the pilot and the airline transport rated passenger received minor injuries. According to the pilot, the passenger pilot was executing the takeoff from runway 17 when the airplane pitched 10 to 15 degrees nose up and rolled right as it reached an airspeed of 90 MPH at rotation. The first pilot stated that he yelled "reflexers forward" and took the controls. He further stated that the airplane oscillated nose up and down and rolled right. He pushed the nose down and rolled the airplane left. According to the pilots, the airplane subsequently struck the runway with the left canard at about 130 MPH and flipped inverted. It slid 140 feet on the runway and 210 feet through the soft dirt before coming to a stop in an inverted position. According to the owner/pilot, a potential co-owner, who had flown the airplane, told him that the airplane was flying nose heavy and pitch control in flight was poor. As a result, the owner re- weighed the airplane using the same calibrated scales he had used during the original construction and found that the airplane's empty weight had increased by 22 pounds that could not be accounted for. The owner/pilot recalculated the weight and center of gravity using a computer program that had been written for the accident make and model. It was noted that the owner's manual and the computer program instructions stated that the airplane should have been weighed both empty and with the pilot and passenger whenever possible. This was a result of a discrepancy in the original positioning of the seats in the manual. According to information provided by the owner, the passenger weight was not factored into his final calculations. The owner stated that his calculations indicated that he needed to add 25 pounds of ballast at station 175 in order to get the center of gravity into the mid-range area. He further stated that in retrospect, he could not understand how he accepted that figure as he only had to add 50 pounds at the same station to raise the nose gear off the ground when it required maintenance. The weight, in the form of lead bars in a box, was added at the indicated station. This was to have been the first flight after the work was accomplished. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N827Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N827Q-2014-12-24), registration cancelled 2014-12-24, S/N 2790, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NOBLE QUICKIE Q-200 (QUICKIE Q-) - Registry model: [Noble Robert Allen QUICKIE Q-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/noble-robert-allen-quickie-q-200) (registry code 05645SQ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 2790 - Airframe hours: 145 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Noble, Robert A. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, February 18, 1994, 1 hours before - Airport: 1M1, N. Little Rock Muni, runway 17, 3,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 587 total, 111 in this make and model, 557 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 8 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: LIT, 15 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 19940219002719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940219002719A), Feb 19, 1994: Amtrqk QUICKIE2, North Little Ro, AR, Substantial damage. Nose heavy problem. Relocated ballast too FAR aft CG. Nosed up on takeoff. Stalled onto runway. 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.