Part(s) Separation from Aircraft: Zenith STOL CH 701, N3784A; accident occurred October 19, 2019 near Safford Regional Airport (KSAD), Graham County, Arizona

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

https://registry.faa.gov/N3784A 

Location: Safford, AZ

Accident Number: GAA20CA039

Date & Time: 10/19/2019, 1730 MST

Registration: N3784A

Aircraft: Zenair CH 701

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Part(s) separation from AC

Injuries: 2 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis 

The pilot reported that, while returning to the departure airport about 1,200 ft above the ground, the engine developed a severe and instantaneous vibration. He reduced power and searched for an emergency landing spot. The pilot chose a road as the landing spot, but the airplane landed about 40 ft short of the road in soft, rough sand, and the main landing gear separated from the airplane. The pilot reported that his pilot-rated passenger saw "something black streaking from the right, into the prop" before the vibration started. He suspected it was a drone but was not sure. The pilot added that there was no blood or feathers on the airplane or propeller. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. A portion of one propeller blade was not found at the accident site. The pilot further reported that, using a handheld GPS, he returned to the area of the presumed in-flight propeller strike and found pieces of the propeller but no drone fragments. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported as a safety recommendation that he suspected the airplane would have not sustained as much damage if he had landed in "one of the clear areas in the desert." He added that he "overestimated glide performance."

Probable Cause and Findings

  

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The in-flight separation of a propeller blade for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in an off-airport landing on soft sand and the separation of main landing gear. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area.

Findings

Aircraft

Propeller blade section - Failure (Cause)

  

Personnel issues

Decision making/judgment - Pilot (Factor)

Environmental issues

Soft surface - Effect on operation (Cause)

Soft surface - Decision related to condition (Factor)

Not determined

Not determined - Unknown/Not determined (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Maneuvering

Part(s) separation from AC (Defining event)

Landing

Off-field or emergency landing

Emergency descent

Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private

Age: 49, Male

Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea

Seat Occupied: Left

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None

Restraint Used:

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane

Second Pilot Present: No

 Instructor Rating(s): None

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: BasicMed

Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/13/2017

Occupational Pilot: No

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/16/2018

Flight Time:  (Estimated) 2570 hours (Total, all aircraft), 104 hours (Total, this make and model), 2504 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 61 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 13 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Zenair

Registration: N3784A

Model/Series: CH 701 No Series

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 2007

Amateur Built: Yes

Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental

Serial Number: 5319

Landing Gear Type: Tricycle

Seats: 2

Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/17/2019, Condition

Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1320 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection:

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 85 Hours as of last inspection

Engine Manufacturer: Continental

ELT: C91A installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident

Engine Model/Series: O-200

Registered Owner: On file

Rated Power: 100 hp

Operator: On file

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: KSAD, 3176 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 2351 UTC

Direction from Accident Site: 34°

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear

Visibility:   10 Miles

Lowest Ceiling: None

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None

Wind Direction: 260°

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A

Altimeter Setting: 29.85 inches Hg

Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C / 0°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Safford, AZ (SAD)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Safford, AZ (SAD)

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 1645 MST

Type of Airspace: Class G 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries:1 None 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: 1 None

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 2 None

Latitude, Longitude: 32.693889, -109.690278 (est)