Pilot Debrief

ZENITH 750 near Silex, MO — 2022-09-07

Final reportCEN22LA412
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Date
2022-09-07
Location
Silex, MO, USA
Airport
54MO
Aircraft
ZENITH 750
Registration
N1949H
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the powerlines during takeoff.

NTSB narrative

The pilot and pilot-rated passenger departed from a 1,100-ft-long turf runway on the first flight after assembling the kit-built airplane. The pilot reported that the airplane’s ground roll was about 400 ft, and after takeoff, he turned right to avoid a rural power line near the end of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted the power line and then terrain, which damaged both wings and fuselage. The pilot reported, and a postaccident examination corroborated, that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot remarked that the airplane’s “Y” yoke, located between the two pilots’ knees, made pitch control during the takeoff more difficult, as compared to a control wheel or stick. Takeoff performance information from the kit manufacturer indicated the airplane with a 100 horsepower (HP) engine was capable of clearing the power line by a significant margin; whereas a pilot operating handbook released in 2009 for factory-built airplanes equipped with a 100 HP engine indicated significantly less margin to clear the power line. Takeoff performance information for the accident airplane, which was equipped with a 120 HP engine, was not available to the pilots. The pilot reflected that a better risk management option for the initial takeoff would have been to depart solo and meet the pilot-rated passenger at another airport with a longer runway.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have departed solo to avoid obstacles on short runway.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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