Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

California, Missouri 65018
Wednesday, December 21, 2005 16:38 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The experimental amateur-built airplane, operated by an unlicensed pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain following a flat spin encountered on base turn. The pilot, in part, stated, "I lost control, went into a stall-spin, and landed nearly flat in the ditch... . The accident was caused by pilot error. I forgot that the owner's manual said that "Solo flight is restricted to the front seat." ... I forgot that one either has to solo from the front seat or add weight to the front seat to solo from the rear seat. ... As I turned base to the west I was still trying to trim the plane and lost attention to airspeed." The pilot's safety recommendation was, "More training in type would have been useful. A placard could be required to "Solo from front seat only"."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to his failure to comply with procedures/directives, and the inadvertent stall/spin he encountered on his turn to base.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/2005
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1638
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City California
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65018
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 383800N
Event Location Longitude 0923201W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID JEF
Elevation of weather observation facility 549
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19326
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 22 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 28 2006 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Kansas City, MO, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N115BT
NTSB Number CHI06CA050
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Elliott Quad City Ultralight
Aircraft Model Challenger II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CH2-01961436
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William R. Elliott
Aircraft Owner Street Address 914 Bannister Drive
Aircraft Owner City Jefferson City
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65109
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 MO23
Departure City California
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 30 2005 2:23PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --