Quicksilver SPORT 2S accident near Canton, Texas, April 9, 2010
On April 9, 2010, a Quicksilver SPORT 2S, registered N439MM, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Canton, Texas. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane builder’s improper installation of the left rear wing strut eyebolt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2010
- Place
- Canton, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quicksilver SPORT 2S · all SPORT 2Ss on the register
- Registration
- N439MM · no longer on the register · serial 0189
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in a turn at low altitude, the pilot of the open cockpit experimental airplane heard a “loud pop,” followed by a change in the feel of the flight controls. The pilot elected to reduce the engine power to idle and activate the ballistic recovery system (BRS). Seconds later the airplane impacted into an area of trees and came to rest in the trees near the ground. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. An examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing rear strut threaded eyebolt had pulled free from the threaded barrel of the wing strut. The thread-to-barrel engagement was measured at 5/32 of an inch with approximately 16 threads exposed. Per the manufacturer’s assembly manual, the eyebolt was to have a minimum of 5/8 of an inch thread-to-barrel engagement with approximately three-and-a-half threads exposed.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 281 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582UL DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1TA7 Canton TX at 11:00 pm
- Destination: Canton TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN10CA200.