Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edwardsville, Illinois 62025
Monday, March 5, 2007 14:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED AUGUST 19, 2008." The pilot reported to air traffic control that the experimental amateur built airplane's engine was malfunctioning. A forced landing was made in a corn field, across the corn rows. The airplane nosed over and caught fire. Examination of the engine revealed that both left cylinders had no compression, and the cylinder head bolts were found with zero torque. The lower forward hold down bolt was found backed out 1/8 inch. After removing the cylinder head and barrels for both left cylinders, evidence of severe combustion gas blow by was found on both barrels and both heads. Metal was melted out of the heads at the bottom forward and bottom aft hold down bolt areas. The loose cylinder head barrels would have resulted in a significant loss of engine power. Toxicology testing revealed that the pilot had recently used two different impairing medications, but it is unclear whether the medication use was relevant to the accident sequence.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power during cruise due to loose cylinder head bolts/loose cylinders.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/5/2007
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Edwardsville
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62025
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 384814N
Event Location Longitude 0895730W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID ALN
Elevation of weather observation facility --
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 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23013
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Mar 5 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2008 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office St. Louis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N89WW
NTSB Number CHI07LA080
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Wood
Aircraft Model Quickie Q-2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2365
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 --
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 Robert J Justin
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2521 Wembley Drive
Aircraft Owner City St. Louis
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63125
Operator is an individual? Yes
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ALN
Departure City Alton/St. Louis
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Unknown
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 11 2008 6:58PM
User who most recently changed record ntsb\labj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --