Witness: "Engine Did Not Sound Like It Was Operating Properly"

Location: Wurtsboro, NY Accident Number: ERA20LA207
Date & Time: 06/05/2020, 1925 EDT Registration: N850RW
Aircraft: QUAD CITY CHALLENGER Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

On June 5, 2020, about 1925 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Challenger II, N850RW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near WurtsboroSullivan County Airport (N82), Wurtsboro, New York. The pilot was seriously injured, and the passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to a witness, after liftoff the airplane departed N82 toward a ridgeline southeast of the airport; however, it remained just above the treetops and failed to climb, and the engine did not sound like it was operating properly.

Inspection of the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the airplane descended nose first into the trees and came to rest inverted and mostly intact in a wooded area about 1,420 ft and 143° from the airport center. All major structural components of the airplane were located within a debris field limited to the size of the airplane. Damage to trees and to the airplane were consistent with a low-energy impact.

Both wings were substantially damaged, and the right wing was mostly impact separated at the wing root. The empennage remained mostly undamaged. There was a faint smell of fuel at the accident site; however, the fuel tank was undamaged and devoid of fuel, and no fuel was found in the fuel filter or fuel line coming from the fuel tank to the fuel pump.

The airplane and engine were retained for examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov