Amateur-built Q-2 accident near Billings, Montana, May 16, 1992
On May 16, 1992 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Q-2, registered N21QQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDETERMINED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1992 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Q-2
- Registration
- N21QQ · registry record · serial 2005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TEST FLIGHT FOLLOWING AN ENGINE OVERHAUL, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL FOR THE START, TAXI, TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO 2,000 FEET AGL. A SLIGHT ROUGHNESS WAS NOTED AND CORRECTED WITH A RICHER MIXTURE. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN AND A FULL RICH MIXTURE WAS REQUIRED FOR NORMAL OPERATION. THE FLIGHT WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS INCREASED UNTIL THERE WAS A TOTAL POWER LOSS. UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO A WHEAT FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. DURING THE POST-CRASH INVESTIGATION, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THIS ENGINE HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERAL POWER LOSSES OVER THE PAST 28 HOURS FLIGHT TIME SINCE THE AIRPLANE WAS BUILT, WITH NO DEFINITE REASON FOUND AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH ANOTHER AND WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ACCIDENT ENGINE INSPECTED.
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: 179 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 275 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1991; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster 2100 DQ (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots, gusting 6
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
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 N21QQ 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.