Pilot Debrief

PEET CHARLES ZENITH CH 701 near Jackson, WY — 2018-05-16

Final reportCEN18LA178
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Date
2018-05-16
Location
Jackson, WY, USA
Airport
Priv
Aircraft
PEET CHARLES ZENITH CH 701
Registration
N44CP
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot’s failure to maintain proper control of the airplane, which led to a hard, bounced landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that had just finished rebuilding the airplane and was conducting a local, personal flight, which was the airplane’s first flight since an accident 5 years earlier. While returning to land on a grass strip and shortly after switching from the right to the left tank, the engine began to run roughly and “sputter.” The pilot added that the airplane was “high and fast” on the approach but that he chose to continue the landing due to the engine problem. Upon landing, the airplane bounced, the nosewheel hit the ground hard and collapsed, and the airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted. Postaccident engine examination revealed no evidence off mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the airplane had an adequate amount of fuel onboard when the engine lost power. He added that the quick fuel disconnect on the left wing fuel tank was loose before the flight, so he reconnected the fitting and speculated that air might have entered the lines when he reconnected the fitting and led to the engine sputtering when he switched tanks. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on the available information.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have switched back to the right fuel tank before approaching the runway.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents3

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