Quad City CHALLENGER accident near Indianola, Mississippi, June 14, 2023
On June 14, 2023 at about 3:35 am local time, a Quad City CHALLENGER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Indianola, Mississippi (Indianola Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-certificated pilot’s loss of control during the night landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2023 · about 3:35 am local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Indianola, Mississippi · Indianola Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City CHALLENGER II, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · registered outside the United States · serial UNK
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the airport manager, the non-certificated pilot attempted to land the light sport airplane at night. The airplane was not equipped with a two-way radio to activate the airport’s pilot-controlled runway lights. The pilot’s first landing attempt resulted in a go-around. After the go-around, the pilot called and asked a friend to shine headlights from a vehicle to illuminate the runway. On the second landing attempt, the airplane landed hard, bounced, and the pilot attempted a go-around. During the go-around the airplane impacted a beanfield. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot did not return the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Runway 18/3, 7,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KGLH, 15 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGLH 140353Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 23/21 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP099 T02280211,M
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 1, 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 | Mor Airport Manager | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� 6120.1 Not Received | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | 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
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Quad City 19 aircraft on the register
- Indianola Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Mississippi 845 since 1982 · 90 in the last ten years
- Mississippi 2,601 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under UNREG 10 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN23LA427.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.