Bardouche QUAD CITY ULTRALIGHT accident near Pulaski, Wisconsin, April 4, 2008
On April 4, 2008 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Bardouche QUAD CITY ULTRALIGHT, registered N423V, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pulaski, Wisconsin. 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 loss of engine power during cruise due to the separation of the spark plug because of the loose threads. Contributing to the accident was trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2008 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pulaski, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bardouche QUAD CITY ULTRALIGHT
- Registration
- N423V · no longer on the register · serial 1298-CW-0713
- 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 cruise flight, about 700 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. He stated that he attempted to troubleshoot the power loss to no avail. He then selected a landing site, but did not have sufficient altitude and landed the airplane in trees. The airplane came to rest in the tree tops and had sustained substantial damage due to the impact with the trees. Examination of the engine subsequent to the accident revealed that the spark plug had fallen out of its threaded hole. Examination of the threads revealed that they were loose and had been re-cut at some time in the past.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Spark plugs/igniters › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 254 hours in all; 254 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 254 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 1, 2007
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OCQ Oconto WI
- Destination: 92C Pulaski WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.