Amateur-built CHALLENGER II accident near Burlington, Connecticut, July 22, 1992
On July 22, 1992 at about 11:15 pm local time, a amateur-built CHALLENGER II, registered N602CH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Connecticut. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1992 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Connecticut
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHALLENGER II CHALLENGER
- Registration
- N602CH · registry record · serial CH20291R0646
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES, WHEN HE TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT ATTAIN FULL POWER OF 6100 RPM. THE MAXIMUM WAS 4000 RPM FOLLOWED BY A FURTHER DROP TO 2200 RPM. HE TRIED TO REGAIN POWER BY APPLYING THE CHOKE, PRIMING THE ENGINE, SWITCHING MAGNETOS, AND TURNING OFF NON-ESSENTIAL POWER, BUT ALL WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. HE TRIED TO LAND ON A ROAD; HOWEVER DURING TOUCHDOWN HE OBSERVED TWO PERSONS APPROACHING HIM, ONE ON A BIKE, AND THE OTHER IN A CAR. HE TRIED TO AVOID HITTING THEM AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT HE COLLIDED WITH A STREET SIGN AND TELEPHONE POLE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE FAA INCLUDED AN ENGINE RUN, AND INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO THE FAA THE ENGINE OPERATED AT 6100 RPM FOR A DURATION OF 5 MINUTES. THE LOSS OF POWER COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THERE WAS 6 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND APPEARED TO HAVE OIL MIXED WITH GAS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 44 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 1992; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 22B
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.