Amateur-built QUICKIE Q2 accident near Goleta, California, October 4, 1986
On October 4, 1986 at about 5:39 pm local time, a amateur-built QUICKIE Q2, registered N22SD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Goleta, California (Santa Barbara airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1986 · about 5:39 pm local time
- Place
- Goleta, California · Santa Barbara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUICKIE Q2
- Registration
- N22SD · registry record · serial 2245
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT OF THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT, THE SPARK PLUG INSERTS IN THE ENGINE CYLINDERS WERE CHANGED TO STEEL ONES. THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING THE FLIGHT HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE EMANATE FROM THE ENGINE FOLLOWED BY A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN AN ALTITUDE OF 1,000 FT AGL AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT DID NOT GET A LANDING CLEARANCE 'DUE TO OTHER VOICE TRAFFIC' ON THE RADIO AND INITIATED A GO AROUND. THE PILOT FURTHER SAID THAT HE COULD ONLY MAINTAIN 300 FT AGL ON THE SECOND PATTERN. A WITNESS SAID THE AIRCRAFT MADE A NORMAL APPROACH THEN 'BOUNCED UP AT A HIGH ANGLE ON TOUCHDOWN, THEN DROP ON THE NOSEWHEEL.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED 'A SLIVER OF STEEL FROM THE SPARK PLUG INSERT HAD LODGED IN THE CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING A BLOW TORCH EFFECT WHICH BURNED THROUGH THE CYLINDER HEAD AND FIN.'
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: 650 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 1986; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster R2100-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15L, 4,179 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:49 pm from SBA
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX87LA004.