20110717015129A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Davidson Richard S ZENITH STOL CH701 · Glendale, OR · July 17, 2011

Date: July 17, 2011 · 17:07 local
Place: Glendale, OR
Airport: Nace Family Airstrip
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N701RD
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR11FA333
Reported as: Davidson Richard S Zenith Stol CH701
Reported engine: ROTAX SEE BOMBADIER
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N701RDRegistration cancelled Jan 23, 2018 · Davidson Richard S ZENITH STOL CH701S/N 7-5721 · Built 2006 Airframe modelDavidson Richard S ZENITH STOL CH701 Engine modelRotax SEE BOMBADIERReciprocating

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.

According to witnesses N701RD departed Nace Family Airstrip climbing to an altitude about 500 feet AGL. Witness said the engine started sputtering and the aircraft made a very steep bank to the left back toward the Airstrip. Witnesses said soon after the engine started sputtering it quit before the aircraft could complete its turn. Just before impact the aircraft rolled wings level and a nose down attitude. During the investigation with the NTSB it was discovered that the fuel valve for each of the fuel tanks (2) that are located above and behind the heads of the front seat occupants were in the off position. The investigation also showed that both fuel tanks had not ruptured and were each about ½ to ¾ full.

As the FAA filed it

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES N701RD DEPARTED NACE FAMILY AIRSTRIP CLIMBING TO AN ALTITUDE ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. WITNESS SAID THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING AND THE AIRCRAFT MADE A VERY STEEP BANK TO THE LEFT BACK TOWARD THE AIRSTRIP. WITNESSES SAID SOON AFTER THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING IT QUIT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT COULD COMPLETE ITS TURN. JUST BEFORE IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED WINGS LEVEL AND A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. DURING THE INVESTIGATION WITH THE NTSB IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL VALVE FOR EACH OF THE FUEL TANKS (2) THAT ARE LOCATED ABOVE AND BEHIND THE HEADS OF THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO SHOWED THAT BOTH FUEL TANKS HAD NOT RUPTURED AND WERE EACH ABOUT ½ TO ¾ FULL.

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 WPR11FA333Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportGlendale, ORA total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot’s subsequent failure to maintain airplane control during the forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to ensure that the fuel valves were in the correct position for…Jul 18, 2011 · Substantial damage