Quad City CHALLENGER accident near Blakesburg, Iowa, February 7, 1992
On February 7, 1992 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Quad City CHALLENGER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Blakesburg, Iowa (Blakesburg 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING FINAL APPROACH. WEATHER CONDITIONS, HIGH WIND AND TURBULENCE, WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 1992 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Blakesburg, Iowa · Blakesburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City CHALLENGER, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial NONE
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE UNREGISTERED HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND. THE PILOT WAS NOT CERTIFICATED. THE NEAREST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY, 12 MILES NORTHEAST, REPORTED WINDS FROM 320 DEGREES MAGNETIC AT 23 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 29 KNOTS 50 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CSQ Creston IA at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,185 ft by 84 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 23 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from OTM, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.