20070708018169A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr CH701 · Huntington, PA · July 8, 2007

Date: July 8, 2007 · 15:45 local
Place: Huntington, PA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7654Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW07LA153
Reported as: Amtr CH701
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,450 total45 in this make and model34 in the last 90 days

N7654ZRegistration cancelled Jul 31, 2008 · Morris Arnold F ZENAIR CH701S/N 7-1576 Airframe modelMorris Arnold F ZENAIR CH701 Engine modelBombardier ROTAX (ALL)Reciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The experimental/homebuilt aircraft departed PN64 on runway 18 after a normal preflight and run-up. Upon reaching pattern altitude the pilot leveled off and proceeded to reduce power to the cruise setting. At that time the pilot noted that the power continued to decrease. Throttle was reapplied with little response and the aircraft began losing altitude. The pilot trimmed the aircraft and selected a farm field from the mountainous wooded terrain. During the approach, the pilot was unable to clear the trees at the end of the field. The aircraft empennage struck a tree top and the aircraft came down through the branches. The pilot was uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed from the impact, with the heavy damage to the empennage, wings and all control surfaces. The farm owner witnessed the accident. There was no property damage. The accident was not reported until the following day.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE EXPERIMENTAL/HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PN64 ON RUNWAY 18 AFTER A NORMAL PREFLIGHT AND RUN-UP. UPON REACHING PATTERN ALTITUDE THE PILOT LEVELED OFF AND PROCEEDED TO REDUCE POWER TO THE CRUISE SETTING. AT THAT TIME THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE POWER CONTINUED TO DECREASE. THROTTLE WAS REAPPLIED WITH LITTLE RESPONSE AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE. THE PILOT TRIMMED THE AIRCRAFT AND SELECTED A FARM FIELD FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS WOODED TERRAIN. DURING THE APPROACH, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE TREES AT THE END OF THE FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT EMPENNAGE STRUCK A TREE TOP AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN THROUGH THE BRANCHES. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED FROM THE IMPACT, WITH THE HEAVY DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE, WINGS AND ALL CONTROL SURFACES. THE FARM OWNER WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DFW07LA153Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHuntington, PAThe loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.Jul 8, 2007 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7654Z · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19920512025399IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Charleston, SCPower loss. Emergency landing. Fuel in right wing tank did not relieve into main fuselage tank for reasons unknown.May 12, 1992 · Minor damage