# Accident 20170722009159A: David Kubassek ZENITH 601XL, Aiken, SC, July 22, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 22, 2017, 16:30 local time
- Place: Aiken, SC
- Airport: Aiken Municapal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.6522° N, 81.6825° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6522&lon=-81.6825&mi=10
- Aircraft: N651JL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N651JL-2022-01-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Kubassek David ZENITH 601XL (registry code 056194H, https://openairdocs.org/model/kubassek-david-zenith-601xl) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DAVID KUBASSEK ZENITH 601XL
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 4,500 total, 11 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA258) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170722009159A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT STATED IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT AND IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THAT UPON LANDING ON RUNWAY 25 AT AIK THE NOSE GEAR STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY.  THE PILOT TRIED TO GET THE WEIGHT OFF OF THE NOSE GEAR BY PULLING BACK ON THE STICK, AT WHICH POINT HE HEARD A LOUD BANG BEHIND HIM.  THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE GEAR COLASPED.

AN INVESTIGATION AT THE SITE INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRACT TRAVELED OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 25 ONTO THE GRASS ABOUT 63 FEET AT WHICH POINT GROUND SCARING WAS NOTED FOR A LENGTH OF ABOUT THREE FEET.  AT THIS POINT THE NOSE GEAR COLLASPED AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP ON ABOUT A 270 DEGREE HEADING.

BOTH WING TIPS AND THE OUTBOARD OF THE LEADING EDGE OF BOTH WINGS ARE DAMAGED.  BOTH MAIN GEAR WHEEL FAIRING AND THE NOSE GEAR WHEEL FAIRING ARE DAMAGED.  THE NOSE GEAR STRUT WITH THE NOSE WHEEL AND FORK STILL ATTACHED IS BENT UNDER THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH BUCKLED THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT UP ABOUT EIGHT INCHES IN THE AREA OF WHERE THE RUDDER PEDALS ARE ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE RIGHT STEERING LINKAGE IS BENT AND TWISTED AND THE PILOTS RIGHT RUDDER PEDAL IS BENT TO THE CENTER OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE RIGHT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER IS PULLED FROM IT?S ATTACH POINT.  ONE HALF OF A PLASTIC BLOCK THE HOLDS THE NOSE STRUT HOUSING IN PLACE ON THE FIRE WALL WAS FOUND BY THE PILOT ON THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY NEXT TO WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WENT ONTO THE GRASS.

THE FIREWALL IS BUCKELED TO THE REAR BY THE COLASPED NOSE STRUT.  THERE IS A LENGTH OF ALUMINUM ANGLE ON EACH SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT BELLY FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT AND BOTH ARE PULLED DOWNWARD FROM THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT JUST FORWARD OF THE WINGS.

THE TAIL TIE DOWN RING IS SLIGHTLY BENT TO THE REAR AND SLIGHTLY GROUND FLAT.  THE REAR BULKHEAD ABOVE THE TAIL TIE DOWN IS BULKELED.  THE REAR THIRD OF THE BOTTOM RIB OF THE RUDDER HAS SCRAPED THE GROUND AND ALSO THE EDGE OF THE RUDDER SKIN.

## 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 ERA17LA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA258), Jul 22, 2017: Kubassek David Zenith 601 (N651JL), Aiken, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the nose landing gear’s (NLG) lower bearing, which resulted in the pilot’s inability to maintain directional control during landing, a runway excursion, and the NLG collapsing.

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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