Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Billings, Montana 59002
Saturday, May 16, 1992 15:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A TEST FLIGHT FOLLOWING AN ENGINE OVERHAUL, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL FOR THE START, TAXI, TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO 2,000 FEET AGL. A SLIGHT ROUGHNESS WAS NOTED AND CORRECTED WITH A RICHER MIXTURE. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN AND A FULL RICH MIXTURE WAS REQUIRED FOR NORMAL OPERATION. THE FLIGHT WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS INCREASED UNTIL THERE WAS A TOTAL POWER LOSS. UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO A WHEAT FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. DURING THE POST-CRASH INVESTIGATION, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THIS ENGINE HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERAL POWER LOSSES OVER THE PAST 28 HOURS FLIGHT TIME SINCE THE AIRPLANE WAS BUILT, WITH NO DEFINITE REASON FOUND AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH ANOTHER AND WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ACCIDENT ENGINE INSPECTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN UNDETERMINED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BILLINGS
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59002
Event Date Year 1992
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 6
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) 2070
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46862
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21QQ
NTSB Number SEA92LA103
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name E.E. SHILLING
Aircraft Model Q-2
Aircraft Series Identifier Q-2
Aircraft Serial Number 2005
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 Oct 4 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 275
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL R. MOORE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3327 S. TEKOA
Aircraft Owner City SPOKANE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99203
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MICHAEL R. MOORE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3327 S. TEKOA
Operator City SPOKANE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99203
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --