- Date
- June 7, 1998, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pleasant Valley, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2NXArner Challenger II S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980607013229A
- Case key
- 30115
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Loss of engine power due to a loose spark plug wire cap caused by a broken spark plug retainer spring.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during cruise he noted a loss of rpm's and attempted to make an emergency landing in a dry sandy riverbed. After touchdown the landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft sank into the sand. The pilot inspected the engine and observed the following: a broken spark plug retainer spring and a loose spark plug wire cap.
Factual narrative
On June 7, 1998, at 1230 hours mountain standard time, an Arner Challenger II S, N2NX, an experimental aircraft, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise and collapsed the landing gear after making an emergency landing in a dry wash near Pleasant Valley, Arizona. The aircraft, operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot/owner and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Pleasant Valley airport at 1215.
The pilot reported that they had departed the Pleasant Valley airport approximately 15 minutes before the loss of power was experienced. Approximately 6 miles south of the airport, the pilot noted a loss of rpm's and could not maintain level fight. He stated that he chose a dry wash area to make the emergency landing. After touchdown the aircraft sank into the sand and came to an abrupt stop.
The pilot conducted an engine inspection on-scene. He observed a broken spark plug retainer spring and the detachment of the spark plug wire cap associated with it.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2NX
- Reported as
- Arner Challenger II S (CHALLENGER)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- CH20391CW066
- Airframe hours
- 200
- Engine
- Hirth 2703, 55 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerry E. Long
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1997 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- PVA · AZ
- Destination
- GEU · Glendale, AZ
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 85 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 100 °F, dew point 39 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2NX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.