20210914015749A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · John H Robinson ZENITH 750 CRUZER · Edgewater, FL · September 14, 2021

Date: September 14, 2021 · 10:00 local
Place: Edgewater, FL
Airport: Massey Ranch Airpark
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N161AR
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA21LA360
Reported as: John H Robinson Zenith 750 Cruzer
Reported engine: VIKING 130
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 90 total

N161ARRegistered now · John H Robinson ZENITH 750 CRUZERS/N C75-10543 · Built 2018 Airframe modelJohn H Robinson ZENITH 750 CRUZER Engine modelViking 130Reciprocating

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.

At approximately 0910 the pilot and friend departed Massey Ranch Airpark (X50) to complete a purchase test flight on the zenith 750 experimental amateur-built aircraft. The pilot had the completed bill of sale and planned to depart X50 and complete his flight to greenville, TN after a successful test flight around the pattern at X50. The pilot stated he needed full right rudder on the ground to center the aircraft and on takeoff to keep the aircraft in straight and level flight. He was able to decrease right rudder with increase altitude. At about 800? The pilot heard a loud boom noise in the back of the aircraft and the flight controls were completely locked/uncontrollable. The aircraft attempted to dive down and left as the pilot attempted to unlock the flight controls. Upon landing, the aircraft was still uncontrollable as it veered left off the runway flipping upside down to a full stop in the water. Both pilot and passenger departed the aircraft with minor cuts and abrasions.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 0910 THE PILOT AND FRIEND DEPARTED MASSEY RANCH AIRPARK (X50) TO COMPLETE A PURCHASE TEST FLIGHT ON THE ZENITH 750 EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT HAD THE COMPLETED BILL OF SALE AND PLANNED TO DEPART X50 AND COMPLETE HIS FLIGHT TO GREENVILLE, TN AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TEST FLIGHT AROUND THE PATTERN AT X50. THE PILOT STATED HE NEEDED FULL RIGHT RUDDER ON THE GROUND TO CENTER THE AIRCRAFT AND ON TAKEOFF TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT. HE WAS ABLE TO DECREASE RIGHT RUDDER WITH INCREASE ALTITUDE. AT ABOUT 800? THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BOOM NOISE IN THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE COMPLETELY LOCKED/UNCONTROLLABLE. THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO DIVE DOWN AND LEFT AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. UPON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL UNCONTROLLABLE AS IT VEERED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY FLIPPING UPSIDE DOWN TO A FULL STOP IN THE WATER. BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR CUTS AND ABRASIONS.

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 ERA21LA360Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportNew Smyrna, FLThe mechanic’s inadequate inspection of the flight control system, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.Sep 14, 2021 · Substantial damage