Amateur-built CHALLENGER II accident near Greeley, Colorado, May 22, 2013
On May 22, 2013 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 2011 amateur-built CHALLENGER II, registered N269MM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley-Weld County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the engine seizure, which resulted from damage caused by the ingestion of carburetor ice into the engine intake ports.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2013 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley-Weld County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHALLENGER II, built 2011
- Registration
- N269MM · registry record · serial CH2-1107-CW-2823
- 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, after starting the engine, he taxied the experimental, amateur-built airplane to the runway at idle power. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost total power, and the pilot subsequently performed a downwind, off-airport landing. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted terrain, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear, a complete separation of the left main landing gear, and substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The airplane came to rest upright, and the two occupants exited the cockpit unassisted. A postaccident examination revealed that the two-cylinder, two-stroke carbureted engine was seized and could not rotate because of a mechanical restriction. The piston rings were found damaged, and evidence of vertical scoring was found on the pistons and cylinder walls; the scoring appeared to have originated near the cylinder's intake port. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious icing at glide power. It is likely that the carburetor accumulated ice while the pilot taxied the airplane to the runway at idle power and that the engine ingested that ice sometime after takeoff, which resulted in mechanical damage to the engine and its subsequent loss of power. The airplane was not equipped with provisions for carburetor heat nor was it required to be.
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
- Fuel related during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during post (impact)
- Part(s) separation from AC during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Capability exceeded
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 186 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 109 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 5, 2012
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 95 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 2, 2013; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 DCD1 (piston); 95 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GXY Greeley CO at 4:48 pm
- Destination: EIK Erie CO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from KGXY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.