Quad City CHALLENGER accident near Doniphan, Missouri, May 28, 2023
On May 28, 2023, a 2003 Quad City CHALLENGER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N265JW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Doniphan, 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2023
- Place
- Doniphan, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City CHALLENGER II, built 2003, amateur-built
- Registration
- N265JW · registry record · serial CH2-1002-CW-2265
- 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 during the flight he attempted to increase engine power to climb over a densely wooded hillside; however, the engine did not respond. Unable to clear the hill, he decided to execute a forced landing to a pasture. During the landing rollout, the airplane struck a fence. The pilot noted that the engine did not stop running during the flight, but that he was unable to increase engine power. Postaccident engine examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and the engine was started and ran at idle speed with no anomalies noted. The pilot speculated that some type of fuel flow restriction had resulted in the partial loss of engine power. Weather conditions were conducive to carburetor icing at glide power. However, the engine was equipped with a slide-type carburetor which, due to their design, are generally not susceptible to icing.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 769 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 3, 2023; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503DCDI (piston); 663 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Neelyville MO at 11:15 pm
- Destination: PVT Neelyville MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots, gusting 1
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KPOF, 26 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KPOF 280053Z AUTO 01005KT 10SM CLR 23/13 A3006
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 CEN23LA221.