Amateur-built Quickie Q-2 accident near Edwardsville, Illinois, March 5, 2007
On March 5, 2007 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Quickie Q-2, registered N89WW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edwardsville, Illinois. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during cruise due to loose cylinder head bolts/loose cylinders.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2007 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Edwardsville, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Quickie Q-2
- Registration
- N89WW · registry record · serial 2365
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED AUGUST 19, 2008." The pilot reported to air traffic control that the experimental amateur built airplane's engine was malfunctioning. A forced landing was made in a corn field, across the corn rows. The airplane nosed over and caught fire. Examination of the engine revealed that both left cylinders had no compression, and the cylinder head bolts were found with zero torque. The lower forward hold down bolt was found backed out 1/8 inch. After removing the cylinder head and barrels for both left cylinders, evidence of severe combustion gas blow by was found on both barrels and both heads. Metal was melted out of the heads at the bottom forward and bottom aft hold down bolt areas. The loose cylinder head barrels would have resulted in a significant loss of engine power. Toxicology testing revealed that the pilot had recently used two different impairing medications, but it is unclear whether the medication use was relevant to the accident sequence.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster 2100 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ALN Alton/St. Louis IL at 8:10 pm
- Destination: Unknown
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from ALN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 CHI07LA080.