# NTSB WPR19LA192: Judd Challenger II, N77YD, Draper, UT, July 19, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 18, 2019, 21:00 local (Jul 19, 2019, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Draper, UT - Coordinates: 40.52639, -111.83139 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5264&lon=-111.8314&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: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 99883 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR19LA192 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99883/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99883 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA192 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence. ## 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: [Tharon V Judd CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05637VK), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/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: [Tharon V Judd CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05637VK), [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: [Tharon V Judd CHALLENGER II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05637VK), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during cruise flight, about 800 to 1,000 ft above ground level, he advanced the throttle and the engine immediately lost power. The pilot’s attempt to restart the engine was unsuccessful and he initiated a forced landing to a nearby tree-lined residential road. During the landing sequence, the airplane struck trees and came to rest upright against a fire hydrant. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was successfully run on the airframe at various power settings with no anomalies noted. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on available evidence. ## Factual narrative On July 18, 2019, about 2100 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Judd Challenger II airplane, N77YD, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Draper, Utah. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot reported that during cruise flight, about 800 to 1,000 ft above ground level, he advanced the throttle and the engine immediately lost power. The pilot’s attempt to restart the engine was unsuccessful and he initiated a forced landing to a nearby tree-lined residential road. During the landing sequence, the airplane struck trees and came to rest upright against a fire hydrant. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right side of the fuselage was structurally damaged. The inspector reported that following recovery of the airplane to a secure location, he and the owner examined the Rotax 503 engine. The fuel and carburetor float bowl were free of debris and the spark plugs appeared to be in normal condition. The inspector stated that there was good compression, with no binding noted when the propeller was rotated by hand. The inspector further stated that they conducted two separate engine runs on the airframe at various power settings with no anomalies noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N77YD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N77YD-2022-11-05), registration cancelled 2022-11-05, S/N CH2-0904-2531, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Judd Challenger II - Registry model: [Tharon V Judd CHALLENGER II](https://openairdocs.org/model/tharon-v-judd-challenger-ii) (registry code 05637VK) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 503 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503-series) (registry code 55564, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: CH2-0904-2531 - Year built: 2018 - Airframe hours: 364 - Engines: Rotax 503 50 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 17, 2018 - Departed: PVU, Provo, UT - Destination: PVU, Provo, UT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 18, 2018; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,042 total, 1,007 as pilot in command, 250 in the last 90 days, 90 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: KU42, 9 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 20190718015299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190718015299A), Jul 18, 2019: Tharon V Judd CHALLENGER II, Draper, UT, Substantial damage. Engine sudden stoppage. Pilot guided aircraft to a road without power lines or obstructions. Aligned aircraft on center of road but drifted into tree branch… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99883. 5.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8667892&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8668036&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20pilot-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation - FAA inspector (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8668918&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20FAA-Rel.pdf - FAA engine run information (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 131 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8667901&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Engine%20Run%20Information_Redacted-Rel.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. --- 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.