Quad City Ultralight Challenger II accident near Rogers City, Michigan, September 11, 2021
On September 11, 2021 at about 11:45 am local time, a 2005 Quad City Ultralight Challenger II, registered N778H, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Rogers City, Michigan (Presque Isle County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The separation of the right wing’s forward lift strut from the fuselage due to a missing nylon-insert lock nut. Contributing to the accident was the noncertificated pilot’s decision to operate the airplane even though a condition inspection had not been completed in the 13 years since the airplane received its experimental airworthiness certificate.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2021 · about 11:45 am local time
- Place
- Rogers City, Michigan · Presque Isle County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City Ultralight Challenger II NO SERIES, built 2005 · all Challenger IIs on the register
- Registration
- N778H · no longer on the register · serial CH2-0905-CW-2671
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noncertificated pilot was departing on a local flight. The pilot reported that about 100 ft into the takeoff roll the airplane began to swerve right, but before he could abort the takeoff, he heard a bang and the airplane pitched up and rolled. A witness reported that the airplane abruptly pitched up, rolled right, and impacted the ground in a left-wing-down attitude. The witness stated that the airplane completed about 270° of right roll when the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, fuselage, tailboom, and left horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing’s forward lift strut separated from the fuselage longeron. The channel bracket remained attached to the lift strut, but the attachment bolt pulled out of the fuselage longeron. The nylon-insert lock nut that normally secured the attachment bolt to the fuselage longeron was not located during the investigation. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to each flight control surface. The pilot did not maintain maintenance records for the airplane, nor had the airplane undergone a condition inspection since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the experimental airworthiness certificate in December, 2007.
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
- Aircraft structural failure during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Wing auxiliary structure › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Attach fittings (on wing) › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Attach fittings (on wing) › Not inspected
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Flight time: 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 139.9 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 UL (piston); 140 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PZQ Rogers City MI at 11:45 am
- Destination: PZQ Rogers City MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,106 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 am from KPZQ
Weather report (METAR): METAR KPZQ 111135Z AUTO 20009KT 10SM OVC100 15/13 A2989 RMK AO2 T01460125=
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 CEN21LA420.