# Accident 20040328004929A: Zinair CH2000, Bay Minette, AL, March 28, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 28, 2004, 03:55 local time
- Place: Bay Minette, AL
- Airport: Bay Minette Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Missed Approach IFR
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.8731° N, 87.8178° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.8731&lon=-87.8178&mi=10
- Aircraft: N605AM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N605AM-2009-10-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aircraft Mfg & Development CH 2000 (registry code 0033001, https://openairdocs.org/model/aircraft-mfg-development-ch-2000) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ZINAIR CH2000
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 518 total, 156 in this make and model, 148 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL04LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA087) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040328004929A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF FROM COBB COUNTY AIRPORT-MCCOLLUM FIELD, ATLANTA, GEORGIA (RYY) ENROUTE VFR TO FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA (4R4) AT 0230 HOURS. HE RECEIVED A WEATHER REPORT OF SCATTERED FOG POSSIBLY AT FAIRHOPE. HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH JACKSONVILLE APPROACH AND CONTINUED TO FAIRHOPE AND IN THE EVENT THAT THE WEATHER WOULD BE BELOW MINIMUMS HE WOULD DIVERT BACK TO WHERE THE WEATHER WAS MORE FAVORABLE. UPON ARRIVING AT FAIRHOPE HE MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT BACK TO BAY MINETTE, ALABAMA (1R8) OR A NEARBY AIRPORT. THE FOG BEGAN TO GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LAND AND WHEN HE REACHED BAY MINETTE HE WAS ABOUT AN HOUR INTO HIS RESERVE FUEL AND HE MADE TWO (2) LOW APPROACHES. HE USED VOR 8 APPROACH AS GUIDANCE AND WAS INTO THE FOG AT 500 FOOT MSL. HE DID NOT FEEL HE COULD MAKE ANOTHER GO AROUND CONSIDERING HIS FUEL SITUATION. THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE NOT VISIBLE DUE TO THE FOG. USING THE REILS FOR VISUAL GUIDANCE TO THE RUNWAY HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND FLEW PAST THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE FIRST TREE HIT HIS WING, HE PULLED ALL POWER OFF AND TRIED TO PULL THE AIRCRAFT INTO A STALL ON TOP OF THE TREES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL04LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA087), Mar 28, 2004: Aircraft Mfg & Development Alarus CH2T (N605AM), Bay Minette, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate inflight decision which resulted in continued VFR flight into IMC conditions, and his failure to maintain clearance which resulted in a collision with trees. A factor was the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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