Quad City Aircraft Corp Challenger II accident near Labelle, Florida, March 6, 2004
On March 6, 2004 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Quad City Aircraft Corp Challenger II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Labelle, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot in command's abrupt pull up, which resulted in an overload of the right wing, right wing separation, an uncontrolled descent, and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2004 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Labelle, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quad City Aircraft Corp Challenger II, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness stated that he was flying his ultralight aircraft in close proximity to the accident aircraft and he observed the accident aircraft enter about a 45-degree dive from an altitude of about 500 feet. He further stated that he was behind the accident aircraft and he observed it as it dove toward the ground. From his position, he said he saw the attitude of the aircraft change abruptly, as if to recover from the dive at an altitude of about 50 feet above the ground. As the nose pitched up, the witness stated that he saw the right wing separate, and the aircraft then impacted the ground. He also said that he had observed the accident aircraft during one other such dive and recovery maneuver immediately preceding the maneuver during which the accident occurred. Postcrash examination of the right wing spar attach bracket by an aircraft builder/ultralight mechanic, who observed the accident, revealed that the bracket had separated consistent with overstress.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Labelle FL at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from FMY, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.