# Accident 20090714025279A: Stol Ch 701/A, Wassila, AK, July 14, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 14, 2009, 10:30 local time
- Place: Wassila, AK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.5947° N, 149.4703° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5947&lon=-149.4703&mi=10
- Aircraft: N701BX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N701BX-2017-04-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Zenair STOL CH 701/A (registry code 0561425, https://openairdocs.org/model/zenair-stol-ch-701-a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax SEE BOMBADIER (registry code 55555, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-see-bombadier) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: STOL CH 701/A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 27,200 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC09FA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09FA062) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090714025279A

## Narrative

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

AT APPROXIMATELY 10:25, JULY 14, 2009, N701BX, A ZENAIR 701 EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT CRASHED AFTER DEPARTING KALMBACH LAKE NEAR WASILLA, ALASKA.  THE AIRCRAFT OWNER, MR. PAUL J. REINDERS AND FAA INSPECTOR, MR. ROBERT D. WHITESELL, THE ONLY OCCUPANTS, DEPARTED SOUTHWEST FROM KALMBACH LAKE AND CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB PHASE.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE POST CRASH FIRE.  THE TWO OCCUPANTS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.THE AIRCRAFT, A ZENAIR 701, N701BX IS REGISTERED TO PAUL J. REINDERS IN WASILLA, ALASKA.  THERE IS NO KNOWN FLIGHT PLAN AND THE WEATHER FOR THE WASILLA AIRPORT AREA WAS 2500 OVERCAST WITH 10 MILES VISIBILITY.  ACCORDING TO RECORDS, PAUL J. REINDERS, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 1404830, WAS THE HOLDER OF AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE AND A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S CERTIFICATE. THE FAA INSPECTOR ONBOARD N701BX, MR. ROBERT D. WHITESELL WAS ON THE JOB PERFORMING A FLIGHT CHECK ACCORDING TO SOURCES FROM HIS HOME OFFICE.  AIRMEN RECORDS IN SPAS ALSO INDICATE THAT ROBERT D. WHITESELL, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 2042815, WAS THE HOLDER OF AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE AND A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S CERTIFICATE.  CURRENT ISSUES: MR. PAUL J. REINDERS AND MR. ROBERT D. WHITESELL WERE KILLED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THE WASILLA CORONER'S OFFICE IS WORKING FOR CONFIRMATION. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS COLLECTED AND TAKEN TO A STORAGE FACILITY BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. NTSB AND FAA INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING AT THIS TIME. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF THE NTSB HAS PLANS TO RECONSTRUCT THE REMAINING PARTS OF AIRCRAFT IN HOPES OF BETTER DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH.

## 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 ANC09FA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09FA062), Jul 14, 2009: Zenair Stol CH 701 (N701BX), Wasilla, AK, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid an aerodynamic stall during takeoff and his decision to fly the airplane over its allowable gross weight. Contributing to the accident was…

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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