Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bridgeport, Michigan 48722
Tuesady, May 2, 1995 15:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT CLIMBING TURN AFTER TAKEOFF, APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AGL, THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO BANK TO THE LEFT. DESPITE HIS USE OF FULL RIGHT RUDDER, HE WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'THE PLANE KEPT TIGHTENING UP INTO A LEFT FLAT SPIRAL TO THE GROUND.' THE AIRPLANE HAD LEXAN DOORS INSTALLED TO ENCLOSE THE COCKPIT/CABIN AREA. THE DOORS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THIS KIT AIRPLANE, BUT WERE SUBSEQUENTLY MADE AVAILABLE AS A STANDARD OR OPTIONAL FEATURE, DEPENDING ON THE MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT WHEN THE DOORS ARE INSTALLED, THE AIRPLANE BECOMES RUDDER DOMINANT AND SENSITIVE AND THAT PILOTS MUST NOT TAKE THEIR FEET OFF THE RUDDER PEDALS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT (DUE TO INSTALLATION OF LEXAN COCKPIT ENCLOSURE DOORS), WHICH PRECIPITATED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BRIDGEPORT
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48722
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 572
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 2 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1751
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N100GB
NTSB Number CHI95LA144
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name QUAD CITY
Aircraft Model CHALLENGER
Aircraft Series Identifier CHALLENGER
Aircraft Serial Number CW0844
Certified Max Gross Weight 850
Aircraft Category Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 25 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOYLE W. MCKIMMY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4400 RIVERVIEW DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BRIDGEPORT
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48722
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1550
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --