# NTSB NYC08CA146: Quad City Ultralight Challenger I, Rayle, GA, March 16, 2008

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: March 16, 2008, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Rayle, GA
- Coordinates: 33.789722, -82.900276
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7897&lon=-82.9003&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 30, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 67704
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA146
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67704/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA146

## Probable cause

A loss of engine power during cruise flight for undetermined reasons.

## Findings

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

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified; cases with it: [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/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 engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The non-certificated pilot was flying an unregistered amateur built Quad City Challenger I in cruise flight when the engine "stopped cold." During the forced landing, the airplane struck a power line, and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The airplane was equipped with a non-certificated Rotax 503 engine. The pilot inspected the contents of the fuel tank, and found no contamination. He removed the fuel bowls from the engine's dual carburetors and found them to be full of fuel. He was able to rotate the engine by hand and believed the engine stoppage was caused by an ignition failure.

## Factual narrative

The non-certificated pilot reported flying the unregistered amateur built Quad City Challenger I at 1,300 feet msl, when the engine "stopped cold." During the forced landing, the airplane struck a power line, and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot inspected the contents of the fuel tank, and found no contamination. He removed the fuel bowls from the engine's dual carburetors and found them to be full of fuel. He was able to rotate the engine by hand and believed the engine stoppage was caused by an ignition failure. The Challenger I was an ultralight-type aircraft equipped with a Rotax 503 engine. The Rotax 503 Operators Manual stated, "This engine, by its design, is subject to sudden stoppage. Engine stoppage can result in crash landings, forced landings or no power landings. . . . This is not a certified engine. It has not received any safety or durability testing, and conforms to no aircraft standards."

## Aircraft

- Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Quad City Ultralight Aircraft Challenger I
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 0200-CHI-0739
- Airframe hours: 6
- Engines: Rotax 503 50 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: William A Bunch
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, March 1, 2008, 1 hours before
- Departed: IIY, WASHINGTON, GA
- Airport: IIY, Washington-Wilkes

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; seat: single; flight hours: 30 total, 6 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observed at: 3J7, 19 nm away

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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