Friday, December 25, 2020

Loss of Control in Flight: Zenith CH 750 STOL, N227L; accident occurred December 23, 2019 at Greene County - Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport (I19), Xenia, Ohio




         
Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cincinnati, Ohio

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Xenia, Ohio 
Accident Number: CEN20CA059
Date & Time: December 23, 2019, 15:04 Local 
Registration: N227L
Aircraft: Zenith CH 750
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Flight test

Analysis

The pilot reported that the flight was the first flight of the experimental, amateur-built airplane. He stated that he was lined up with the runway centerline for landing, that the airspeed was 60 mph, and that the tachometer was showing 1,600 rpm when he felt the right tire contact the runway. He said "in an instant the left wing came down and the left tire and axle [were] sheared off. The left wing impacted the runway and the plane skidded about 40 feet and came to a full stop." The pilot used a higher landing airspeed because he had been told by other builders of that airplane that he needed to land with speed "so as not [to] get near the stall speed as this aircraft does have leading edge slats and this equates to a high lift wing." Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the nose landing gear and the left wing strut sustained substantial damage.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during landing, which resulted in the right tire contacting the runway first followed by the left wing.

Findings

Aircraft (general) - Not attained/maintained
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing-flare/touchdown Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Landing-flare/touchdown Abnormal runway contact
Landing-flare/touchdown Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Landing-flare/touchdown Part(s) separation from AC

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private; Sport Pilot
Age: 75,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Sport pilot With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: September 30, 1988
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 341 hours (Total, all aircraft), 5 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Zenith 
Registration: N227L
Model/Series: CH 750
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2019 
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental light sport (Special)
Serial Number: 75-8165
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1440 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Corvette
ELT: Not installed 
Engine Model/Series:
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 100 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KFFO,949 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time: 14:56 Local
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 800 ft AGL 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 12 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 200° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30.12 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 8°C / -7°C
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: Xenia, OH (I19)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Xenia, OH (I19) 
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 14:30 Local
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Greene County-Lewis A Jackson I19
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 949 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 25
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5004 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 39.690834,-83.992774(est)

2 comments:

  1. No Loss here.

    These are cheap Pop-rivet disposable airplanes.
    Happy no one was injured.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Zenith aircraft models are most definitely NOT disposable airplanes, they are affordable and relatively easy to build and have great STOL/slow speed landing characteristics.
    Proper training of the pilot with this type of aircraft would possibly have prevented this mishap.

    Indeed happy nobody was injured.

    ReplyDelete