Amateur-built Q2 accident near Frazier Park, California, March 26, 2010
On March 26, 2010 at about 10:50 pm local time, a amateur-built Q2, registered N142BP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Frazier Park, California (Mojave Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power likely due to the failure of the oil pump.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2010 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Frazier Park, California · Mojave Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Q2
- Registration
- N142BP · no longer on the register · serial 2609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was cruising at 8,200 feet mean sea level in his experimental category airplane when he heard a sudden change of sound from the engine and noticed that his oil pressure dropped to zero. He executed an emergency landing on a paved county road. The landing gear wheels of the airplane were located on the tips of the lower wings, 16.4 feet apart. During the landing roll the right wing tip landing gear hit soft dirt and gravel, and the airplane spun to the right. Upon examination of the airplane the pilot stated that his engine oil level was full and there was no indication of an oil leak. He suspected that the oil pump failed on the experimental category engine.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Eng oil sys (airframe furnish) › Pressure › Malfunction
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,092 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 305 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 11, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster 2100 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMHV Mojave CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: KOXR Oxnard CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 17 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from KWJF, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.