Amateur-built CHALLENGER II N518DT accident near Winterhaven, California

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power during cruise for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s loss of control during the forced landing.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot departed on a cross-country flight and climbed to cruise altitude when the engine suddenly experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. During the forced landing approach, at an altitude about 20 ft above ground level, the airplane encountered a wind gust, impacted the ground hard, and nosed over.

The 2-cylinder, turbocharged engine was equipped with an electronic engine control unit (ECU) that controlled the ignition and fuel injection systems. While performing the engine prestart sequence during the wreckage examination, the No. 1 electrical system indicated an ignition fault, the source of which could not be determined; the No. 2 electrical system would not activate properly. Several attempts to start the engine were unsuccessful; the engine would stumble, backfire, produce black exhaust, and stop. Examination of the spark plugs revealed that only one plug was firing in each cylinder. The ECU did not contain non-volatile memory, and it could not be determined whether the ECU was functioning properly during the accident flight. Further, examination of the electrical system was not possible due to the damage sustained during the accident; therefore, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR14LA327 for the full record.