WPR16LA179

NTSB accident investigation · Mccluskey Challenger II · Bisbee, AZ · September 10, 2016

Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal report
Date
September 10, 2016, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
Place
Bisbee, AZ
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N6162YMccluskey Challenger II
Defining event
Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20160910016419A
Case key
93998

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Power plantAircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determinedMccluskey Bob CHALLENGER II: 1 caseAll aircraft: 198 cases
Not determinedNot determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determinedMccluskey Bob CHALLENGER II: 1 caseAll aircraft: 2,247 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot performed touch-and-go landings and go-arounds, then flew about two miles from the airport to practice stalls. After performing three stalls, he was climbing the airplane through 800 ft above ground level and returning toward the airport when the engine lost total power. The pilot established best glide speed and attempted to restart the engine to no avail. He made a left turn toward a nearby road, but when he tried to level the wings, the left wing remained low. He applied full control stick and rudder in an attempt to level the wings, but the airplane continued a left slip toward the ground, where it landed hard and slid to a stop. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on the available information.

Factual narrative

On September 10, 2016, about 0900 mountain standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Challenger II airplane, N6162Y, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Bisbee, Arizona. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he conducted a few touch-and-go landings followed by two go-arounds. He then flew about 2 miles west of the airport to conduct stalls. On the way back to the airport, while climbing through about 800 feet above ground level, the engine suddenly "shut off" and the airplane’s nose abruptly pitched up. The pilot lowered the nose, established best glide speed, and attempted to restart the engine to no avail. He made a left turn toward a nearby road, but when he tried to level the wings, the left wing remained low. He applied full control stick and rudder in attempt to level the wings, but the airplane continued a left slip toward the ground, landed hard, and slid to a stop, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, left landing gear, and left wing. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined based on available information.

Aircraft

Registration
N6162Y
Reported as
Mccluskey Challenger II
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
CH2 1093 P1035
Built
1996
Airframe hours
328
Engine
Bombardier ROTAX (ALL), reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · June 6, 2016
Departed
Bisbee, AZ
Destination
Bisbee, 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
37
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea
Instrument ratings
Helicopter
Medical
Unknown

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
77 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
30.22 inHg
Observed at
DUG, 15 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 17, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.