Saturday, September 19, 2020

Zenair CH 750 STOL, N4744M: Accident occurred September 16, 2020 in Montgomery City, Missouri

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; St. Louis, Missouri


Location: Montgomery City, MO
Accident Number: CEN20LA397
Date & Time: 09/16/2020, 1251 CDT
Registration: N4744M
Aircraft: ZENITH CH 750
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On September 16, 2020, about 1251 central daylight time, an amateur-built Zenith CH 750 airplane, N4744M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Montgomery City, Missouri. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot estimated 22-23 gallons of fuel were onboard the airplane during the preflight and a he estimated a fuel consumption rate of about 6 gallons per hour for the flight. About three hours into the flight at an altitude of about 3,000 ft mean sea level, the engine sputtered and lost total power. The pilot made a forced landing into a bean field and the airplane nosed over, which damaged both wings, the fuselage, and the rudder. The airplane will be examined after recovery.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: ZENITH
Registration: N4744M
Model/Series: CH 750
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes
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: KCOU, 898 ft msl
Observation Time: 1254 CDT
Distance from Accident Site: 30 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C / 17°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots / , 300°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.09 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Murray, KY (CEY)
Destination: Mexico, MO (MYJ) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries:1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 38.979722, -91.610000 





2 comments:

  1. Glad the pilot is OK. During a Bi-Annual an instructor I had never flown with before asked what field I was going to pick during a simulated engine out. After I picked he explained the corn will beat the plane up a bit, but the beans will grab the gear and flip the plane on it's back. I had picked a bean field because it seemed correct, until he said that.

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  2. NTSB preliminary report sounds like fuel exhaustion.

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