Quad City Ultralights CHALLENGER II accident near Ocala, Florida, August 30, 2012
On August 30, 2012 at about 8:12 pm local time, a Quad City Ultralights CHALLENGER II, registered N2481P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocala, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent overstress of the airplane, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the outer section of the right wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2012 · about 8:12 pm local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City Ultralights CHALLENGER II · all CHALLENGER IIs on the register
- Registration
- N2481P · no longer on the register · serial CH20192-0779B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the pilot remained in the traffic pattern, performed a low pass, and then departed to the southeast. When the airplane was about 4 miles away from the departure airport with no adverse weather nearby, the airframe was overstressed, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the outer 3 feet of the right wing and a portion of the right flaperon. The airplane then descended uncontrolled and impacted terrain. No preexisting cracks were noted in the fracture surfaces of the forward and aft spars of the right wing. Inspection of the engine and flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
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
- Aircraft structural failure during unknown defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Spar (on wing) › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 47 hours in all
- Last flight review: April 23, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Morriston FL at 8:05 pm
- Destination: FD04 Ocala FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from OCF, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 ERA12LA537.