Amateur-built CH 750 accident near Montrose, Missouri, September 20, 2020
On September 20, 2020 at about 4:45 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built CH 750, registered N210WP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Montrose, Missouri. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to an electrical overload in the engine control unit wiring system; the electrical overload occurred as a result of improper installation by the airplane builder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2020 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Montrose, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CH 750, built 2014
- Registration
- N210WP · registry record · serial 75-8690
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane was en route to the destination airport when the engine momentarily lost power. The pilot immediately selected the alternate fuel pump and engine control unit (ECU), and the engine regained power. About 5 minutes later, the engine lost total power, and the pilot attempted to restart the engine. The engine restart was unsuccessful, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and rudder. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the main fuse block was discolored and exhibited internal thermal damage. An automotive blade-type fuse that connected to both primary and secondary fuel pumps and primary and backup ECUs displayed arcing signatures and had failed. According to the engine manufacturer, the primary and secondary ECUs should have been wired directly to the main bus and should not have contained a fuse. The improper installation of the airplane’s electrical system resulted in an overloaded electrical system for the installed fuse. After bypassing the failed electrical system, an engine test run was performed. The engine started and operated normally with no mechanical issues noted.
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
- Electrical system malf/failure during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › Electrical pwr sys wiring › Malfunction
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Owner/builder
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 124 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 26, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 74.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 8, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,440 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Viking Aircraft Engines 110 (piston); 74 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLY Clinton MO at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 0KS8 Parsons MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 am from GLY, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 10, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Condition Inspection Maintenance Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Examination Summary - Engine Manufacturer | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Viking Engine Service Bulletin | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N210WP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.