Quad City CHALLENGER accident near Jonesboro, Louisiana, August 2, 2020
On August 2, 2020 at about 11:55 pm local time, a 2006 Quad City CHALLENGER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N990SS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Jonesboro, Louisiana (Jonesboro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power due to the use of improper fuel in the airplane by the non-certificated pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2020 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Jonesboro, Louisiana · Jonesboro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City CHALLENGER II SPECIAL, built 2006, amateur-built
- Registration
- N990SS · no longer on the register · serial CH2-1004-CW-253
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot reported that there was a “loud pop” and immediate loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. He was unable to return to the airstrip and executed a forced landing to a wooded area. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The airplane was fueled before the flight; however, the fuel had been stored in the pilot’s hangar and was between 10 and 12 months old. A postrecovery engine examination did not identify any anomalies associated with the engine assembly. Fuel remaining in the carburetor bowls exhibited a dark yellow color consistent with stale automotive gasoline. The pilot’s lack of training and experience with respect to airplane operations likely contributed to his decision to use old, automotive fuel in the airplane. It is likely that the engine lost power due to the old fuel in the fuel system.
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 engine power (total) during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Fuel related during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Owner/builder
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,008 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F88 Jonesboro LA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: F88 Jonesboro LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,204 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from RSN, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on April 20, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Examination Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Conversation Summary -- Rotech Flight Safety | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | FAA Operating Limitations -- N990SS | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.