Quad City CHALLENGER accident near Cedar Creek, Missouri, June 23, 2023
On June 23, 2023 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1995 Quad City CHALLENGER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Cedar Creek, Missouri. 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
A seizure of the power takeoff piston due to inadequate maintenance to the lubrication system, which resulted in a lack of oil lubrication and subsequent engine failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2023 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Creek, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City CHALLENGER II, built 1995, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the day before the accident, the pilot reported that he drained the fuel and replaced it with new fuel, replaced the fuel filter, and checked all fluid levels and lines; the airplane had not flown since October 2021. The pilot reported that on the day of the accident, he flew the airplane for about 20 minutes and then returned to pick up a passenger. On the second flight, the airplane’s engine lost power after flying about 10 minutes. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain which resulted in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine were performed at the pilot’s residence. The examination of the engine revealed oil around the power take-off (PTO) piston and cylinder head. The PTO piston displayed signatures consistent with seizure. A piece of old, brittle oil injection line was discovered near the oil injection pump and the fuel, primer, and vent lines were also found in an aged and hardened state. Given the evidence, the PTO piston likely failed due to a lack of oil as a result of the poorly maintained lubrication system, which resulted in a loss of engine power. There were no maintenance records for the airplane and according to the pilot, the hoses had not been replaced since 2009. The engine manufacturer’s maintenance manual states that all lubrication system hoses must be replaced every 5 years.
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 maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Not serviced/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 230 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 31, 2009
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 90 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 am from KBBG, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBBG 231445Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 25/19 A3006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record-engine Exam-jordan Paskevich | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Time Limit for Parts | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum for Record A�� Interview, Airplane Owner | PDF, 1 page | 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 UNREG 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.