Pilot Debrief

HARRIS ROBERT W ZENITH CH 801 near Brigham City, UT — 2023-03-11

Final reportWPR23LA134
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Date
2023-03-11
Location
Brigham City, UT, USA
Airport
BMC
Aircraft
HARRIS ROBERT W ZENITH CH 801
Registration
N639BH
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing following a reported loss of engine thrust for undetermined reasons.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane sustained a loss of engine thrust during the initial takeoff climb, but the engine continued to run. The pilot elected to land on the remaining runway; however, during the landing flare, the airplane landed hard on its nose and the nose landing gear collapsed. Additionally, the pilot stated that he defueled about 40 gallons of fuel from the airplane after the accident. A visual inspection of the fuel system was conducted, and continuity was established from the main fuel tanks throughout the system; however, fuel was not observed within the fuel system. A postaccident engine ground run was accomplished, and the engine performed at various power settings. Due to a damaged propeller, the propeller governor was removed and functionally tested; it performed within manufacturer's specifications. Postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the propeller governor indicated no visible signs of damage and the governor control lever moved freely from stop to stop. The propeller governor was functionally tested and performed within the manufacturer's specifications. While it’s likely that the loss of engine thrust may have been fuel related, it could not be substantiated due to the available evidence.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after initial loss of thrust.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents8

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