Pilot Debrief

JUNEAU (Zenith Aircraft Co) STOL CH-701 near Snohomish, WA — 2011-08-18

Final reportWPR11LA405
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Date
2011-08-18
Location
Snohomish, WA, USA
Airport
PVT
Aircraft
JUNEAU (Zenith Aircraft Co) STOL CH-701
Registration
N701BZ
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a stall and a hard landing.

NTSB narrative

The sport pilot reported that he was relocating the experimental amateur-built airplane to his short home airstrip, which was bordered by trees, grapevines, and a pond. He performed three precautionary approaches to the runway in order to assess the wind conditions, and on the final approach elected to land. The airplane made contact with the runway short of his intended touchdown point; it landed hard and bounced, collapsing the nose landing gear. He said he flared the airplane early, prior to touchdown, and it subsequently stalled about 5 feet above the ground. The pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and left wing spar during the accident sequence. The accident flight was the first time he had landed at the airstrip.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a go-around instead of landing hard.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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