Quad City Ultralight Acft CORP CHALLENGER I accident near Winnie, Texas, April 14, 2013
On April 14, 2013 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Quad City Ultralight Acft CORP CHALLENGER I, registered N171DP, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Winnie, Texas (Chambers County-Winnie Stowell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff due to his fixation on the instrument panel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2013 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Winnie, Texas · Chambers County-Winnie Stowell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City Ultralight Acft CORP CHALLENGER I · all CHALLENGER Is on the register
- Registration
- N171DP · no longer on the register · serial 0994-0505
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the light-sport airplane was about 300 to 400 feet above ground level, the pilot leveled it off and reduced engine power. He stated that he "fixated" on the instrument panel instead of concentrating on flying and didn't notice that the airplane had banked left. The pilot stated that he wanted to perform practice takeoffs and landings, so he wanted to do a quick turn and applied left aileron pedal. The airplane subsequently pitched down and started to spin, likely because the airplane banked too far left and stalled. The pilot pulled back on the control stick and applied full right aileron. Shortly thereafter, as the airplane started to recover from the spin, the wing contacted the ground. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions or failures occurred during the accident flight. He did not have a pilot's license.
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
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T90 Winnie TX at 2:00 pm
- Destination: T90 Winnie TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from BMT, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 CEN13LA227.