N265JW

On May 27, 2023, about 1900 central daylight time, a Quad City Challenger II airplane, N265JW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Doniphan, Missouri. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that during the flight he attempted to increase engine power to climb over a densely wooded hillside; however, the engine did not respond. Unable to clear the hill, he decided to execute a forced landing to a pasture. During the landing rollout, the airplane struck a fence. The pilot noted that the engine did not stop running but that he was unable to increase engine power.

The left forward wing strut was damaged during the landing, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The forward fuselage and windshield sustained minor scraping damage and a portion of the windshield was broken out.

A postaccident engine examination conducted by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors did not reveal any anomalies consistent with an inability to produce rated power. The engine was started and ran at idle speed with no anomalies noted.

The pilot informed the FAA inspector that he used 91 octane automotive fuel mixed with oil. The pilot had previously drained about 6 gallons of fuel from the 10-gallon tank and recovered some debris that was not retained. The pilot speculated that some type of fuel flow restriction may have resulted in the partial loss of engine power.

Weather conditions were conducive to carburetor icing at glide power. However, the engine was equipped with a slide-type carburetor which, due to their design, are generally not susceptible to icing.

The pilot was issued a student pilot certificate in 2013; however, it was expired at the time of the accident. There was no record of him holding an airman medical certificate or BasicMed certification. The accident pilot purchased the airplane in 2014.