20141230022949A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · MDS Flying ZENITH ZODIAC CH 650 · Ft. Pierce, FL · December 30, 2014

Date: December 30, 2014 · 13:50 local
Place: Ft. Pierce, FL
Airport: St. Lucie County International
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N419PE
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15LA087
Reported as: MDS Flying Zenith Zodiac CH 650
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1

N419PERegistration cancelled Apr 8, 2015 · MDS Flying ZENITH ZODIAC CH 650S/N 65-10008 · Built 2014 Airframe modelMDS Flying ZENITH ZODIAC CH 650 Engine modelLycoming IO-233 seriesReciprocating

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.

On December 30, 2014, at approximately 1350 EDT, a 2014 Mds Flying LLC, zenith zodiac CH-650, N419PE, registered to Mds Flying LLC, suddenly pitched nose down upon final approach at approximately 50 feet of altitude. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the pilot received very minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

ON DECEMBER 30, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 1350 EDT, A 2014 MDS FLYING LLC, ZENITH ZODIAC CH-650, N419PE, REGISTERED TO MDS FLYING LLC, SUDDENLY PITCHED NOSE DOWN UPON FINAL APPROACH AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET OF ALTITUDE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT RECEIVED VERY MINOR INJURIES.

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 ERA15LA087Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFort Pierce, FLThe inadequate modification of the airplane’s canopy latching mechanism, which resulted in the inadvertent opening of the canopy while on final approach to land and a subsequent loss of pitch control.Dec 30, 2014 · Substantial damage