# NTSB WPR14CA058: Quad City Ultralight Acft Challenger II, N522PE, Kalispell, MT, November 26, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: November 26, 2013, 09:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place: Kalispell, MT
- Coordinates: 48.171665, -114.298332
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.1717&lon=-114.2983&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 5, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88481
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR14CA058
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88481/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88481
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA058

## Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to the spark plug coming out of the cylinder head.

## Findings

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

- [Ignition system: spark plugs/igniters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057421): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057421/cases.md?model=059010Q), [All aircraft, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057421/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=059010Q), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=059010Q), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER II, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=059010Q), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the sport pilot, during takeoff in his experimental light sport airplane equipped with a two cylinder engine, he noted a loss of engine power. During the forced off airport landing, the airplane struck a fence post followed by a hard landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and fuselage. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the number 2 spark plug had pulled out of the cylinder head and the threads from the cylinder head were still attached to the spark plug.

## Factual narrative

According to the sport pilot, during takeoff in his experimental light sport airplane equipped with a two cylinder engine, he noted a loss of engine power. During the forced off airport landing, the airplane struck a fence post followed by a hard landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and fuselage. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the number 2 spark plug had pulled out of the cylinder head and the threads from the cylinder head were still attached to the spark plug.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N522PE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N522PE), registered now, S/N CH211941248, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: QUAD CITY ULTRALIGHT ACFT CORP CHALLENGER II (II)
- Registry model: [Quad City Ultralight Acft CHALLENGER II](https://openairdocs.org/model/quad-city-ultralight-acft-challenger-ii) (registry code 059010Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 503 DCDI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503-dcdi) (registry code 55566, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: CH211941248
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 668
- Engines: Hirth 2706 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 21, 2013, 63 hours before
- Departed: S27, Kalispell, MT
- Destination: S27, Kalispell, MT
- Airport: S27, Kalispell City, runway 13, 3,600 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; flight instructor, sport pilot, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review August 31, 2013; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 552 total, 497 in this make and model, 532 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 18 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observed at: KGPI, 8 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 20131126022059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131126022059A), Nov 26, 2013: Quad City Ultralight Acft Corp CHALLENGER II, Kalispell, MT, Substantial damage. Shortly after takeoff to the south, at about 200 feet AGL, the aircraft's engine failed to little or no power due to a spark plug exiting the aft cylinder of…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 21, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88481. 1.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 502 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411350&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- FAA Examination Report (item 2, .PDF, 116 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411351&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Examination%20Report-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1 - Airplane at accident site (item 3, .PDF, 216 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411352&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Airplane%20at%20accident%20site-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Photo of the spark plug detached from cylinder (item 4, .PDF, 578 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411353&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Photo%20of%20the%20spark%20plug%20detached%20from%20cylinder-Master.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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