Quad City CHALLENGER II accident near Redlands, CA
On September 16, 2009, a Quad City CHALLENGER II (airplane) was involved in an accident near Redlands, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 16, 2009
- Place
- Redlands, CA
- Aircraft
- Quad City CHALLENGER II · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.079°N, 117.129°W
- NTSB ID
- 20090916X21656
Official records · WPR09LA453
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 16, 2009, at 1642 Pacific daylight time, an experimental light-sport airplane, Quad City Challenger II, N732LS, collided with terrain in a citrus grove during the landing approach to Redlands Municipal Airport, Redlands, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot/co-owner and private pilot co/owner passenger were killed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight departed French Valley Airport, Murrieta/Temecula, California, at 1602, with a planned destination of Redlands Municipal Airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. A witness, who was flying in the traffic pattern at Redlands airport, stated hearing a pilot report on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) that he was approaching the left downwind for runway 26. He described the pilot’s voice as, “shrill” and, “excited.” The witness stated that the call was also unusual because Redlands airport uses a right-hand traffic pattern for that runway. The witness then landed his airplane on runway 26 and began to taxi east on the adjacent taxiway. He then heard a pilot report on the CTAF that he was on left base for runway 26. He then observed a high wing, “ultralight” airplane at an elevation of about 300-500 feet agl at a position that corresponded to left base of runway 26. He observed the airplane descend at a 45-degree angle behind trees and out of his view. An impact damaged Garmin GPSMAP 96C global positioning syste
Probable cause
Structural failure of the right wing during the landing approach due to the separation of the wing's fabric covering.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
