Amateur-built CH 801 accident near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, August 23, 2009
On August 23, 2009 at about 4:28 pm local time, a amateur-built CH 801, registered N171WR, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin (Blackhawk Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation from a blocked fuel screen that resulted from the pilot/owner's inadequate inspection and maintenance of the fuel system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2009 · about 4:28 pm local time
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Wisconsin · Blackhawk Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CH 801
- Registration
- N171WR · registry record · serial 84197
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the takeoff and initial climb were normal, but that, about 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. He lowered the airplane’s nose to establish a glide and set-up for a forced landing. He executed an emergency landing to an area of tall grass adjacent to a pond. The pilot noted that the airplane “stalled out perhaps 5 [feet] or 10 [feet] above the 5 [foot] high grass--then came down hard.” The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rear wing spar and attachment fittings. A postaccident inspection revealed that the carburetor fuel inlet screen was blocked with metal particles, sand, dirt, insects and other debris. The pilot stated that although he had inspected the gascolator screen, he had not inspected the fuel system screens. The pilot was also the owner and builder of the amateur-built airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Inadequate inspection
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 25, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 13, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 87Y Cottage Grove WI at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 87Y Cottage Grove WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,203 ft by 56 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from MSN, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09CA537.