Pilot Debrief

ZENITH CH 750 near Cincinnati, OH — 2022-09-22

Final reportERA22LA428
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Date
2022-09-22
Location
Cincinnati, OH, USA
Airport
LUK
Aircraft
ZENITH CH 750
Registration
N2992W
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The airplane builder’s installation of incorrect hardware in the control yoke assembly, which resulted in a loss of control during takeoff.

NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that, during the takeoff roll in the experimental amateur-built airplane, he noticed that “something felt wrong” with his flight controls. The airplane briefly climbed before landing hard on the nosewheel, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. During a postaccident examination of the airplane, a bolt that attached the control yoke to the flight controls was missing. The missing bolt and a nut were subsequently located within the fuselage of the airplane. The “hardware store” -type nut was not the castle type nut with cotter pin -type that was called for in the airplane’s engineering drawings. Review of the airplane’s maintenance records revealed that it had undergone 3 annual condition inspections since being constructed and that no documented maintenance to, or replacement of the flight control hardware had occurred. Based on this information, it is likely the builder of the airplane used improper hardware to assemble the flight controls, which resulted in the separation of the control yoke from the flight controls and the subsequent loss of control during takeoff.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff upon feeling something was wrong.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents5

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