# Accident 20211110020469A: Stephen E Massel ZENITH ZODIAC CH601, Oak Hill, FL, November 10, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 10, 2021, 10:03 local time
- Place: Oak Hill, FL
- Airport: Massey Ranch Airpark
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.8669° N, 80.9137° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8669&lon=-80.9137&mi=10
- Aircraft: N22XF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N22XF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Stephen E Massel ZENITH ZODIAC CH601 (registry code 05640BQ, https://openairdocs.org/model/stephen-e-massel-zenith-zodiac-ch601) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: STEPHEN E MASSEL ZENITH ZODIAC CH601
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA056) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211110020469A

## Narrative

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

ON NOVEMBER 10, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1003 LOCAL TIME AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT ZODIAC ZENITH CH601, N22XF WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN OAK HILL, FLORIDA.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.

THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DAY VMC WITH NO CEILING, NO VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS, AND WINDS OUT OF THE NORTH AT 8 KTS.

PRELIMINARY FAA RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT A TARGET (AIRCRAFT) DEPARTED MASSEY RANCH AIRPARK (X50), NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL AT APPROXIMATELY 1000. THE AIRCRAFT HEADED SSE AT 200 FT FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES BEFORE TURNING EASTERLY.  WHEN THE AIRCRAFT  STOPPED TRANSMITTING IT WAS HEADING 070 AND AT A GROUND SPEED OF 98 KTS.  WRECKAGE OF N22XF WAS FOUND LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF THIS LAST RADAR RETURN.

THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN A WOODED AREA.  ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.  THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A POST IMPACT FIRE BUT THERE WAS A HEAVY ODOR OF FUEL LEAKAGE.

ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE LOCATED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.  THE FUSELAGE WAS FOLDED OVER THE COCKPIT AND THE OUTBOARD OF THE RIGHT WING WAS BENT FORWARD UPON IMPACT WITH A TREE. THE ENGINE WAS BURIED A FEW FEET INTO THE DIRT AND THE WOODEN PROPELLER WAS SHATTERED.  THE RUDDER WAS SEPARATED AND LYING BEHIND THE WRECKAGE.  THE LEFT WING (CABLES STILL ATTACHED) AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WERE SEPARATED AND LYING TO THE LEFT OF THE WRECKAGE.

THE PILOT WAS THE BUILDER OF THE AIRCRAFT.  THE PILOT HAD A PRIVATE (FOREIGN BASED)PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH A SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING.  THE US FOREIGN BASE CERTIFICATE WAS BASED ON A UNITED KINGDOM PILOT LICENSE.  NO PILOT CERTIFICATE WAS RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE.  PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT FLYING CONTRARY TO THE AIRCRAFTS'S SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS.

## 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 ERA22FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA056), Nov 10, 2021: Zenith CH601 (N22XF), Oak Hill, FL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A loss of airplane control while maneuvering at low altitude.

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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