# Accident 20220505020569A: Charles R Kyle ZENITH STOL CH 701, Brandy Station, VA, May 5, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 5, 2022, 09:25 local time
- Place: Brandy Station, VA
- Airport: Culpeper Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5255° N, 77.8596° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5255&lon=-77.8596&mi=10
- Aircraft: N701VX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N701VX-2023-10-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Charles R Kyle ZENITH STOL CH 701 (registry code 05639UL, https://openairdocs.org/model/charles-r-kyle-zenith-stol-ch-701) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912UL series (registry code 55571, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CHARLES R KYLE ZENITH STOL CH 701
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912UL SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 337 total, 3 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA222) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220505020569A

## Narrative

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

INVESTIGATION. PILOT ARRIVED AT AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 08:45L EDT TO PERFORM PREFLIGHT INSPECTION PRIOR TO CONDUCTING THE FLIGHT. HE FOUND NO ANOMALIES. HE VERIFIED FUEL IN INBOARD TANKS WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 GALS WITH APPROXIMATELY 1-2 GALS OUTBOARD, WHICH WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE PLANNED FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT DOCUMENTATION WAS CURRENT. THE OPERATOR WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE IN TEST PHASE 1 OF OPERATION UNDER PROVISIONS OF ITS EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT OPERATING LIMITATIONS.

UPON COMPLETION OF PREFLIGHT, THE PILOT MOVED THE AIRCRAFT TO A TAXIWAY FOR ENGINE STARTING WHICH HE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE AID OF A CHECKLIST. PILOT TAXIED FROM HANGAR TAXIWAY TO RUNUP AREA SHORT OF RUNWAY WHERE THE ENGINE AND SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED AND FOUND TO BE SATISFACTORY AND OPERATIONAL.

PILOT ANNOUNCED INTENTIONS ON CTAF (NON-TOWER AIRPORT) TO CONDUCT A TAKEOFF FOR NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERNS DURING WHICH HE INTENDED TO CONTINUE TO CONDUCT TESTING WITHIN THE OPERATING LIMITATIONS SPECIFIED FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT. HE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED TWO STANDARD TRAFFIC PATTERNS.

ON THE THIRD TRAFFIC PATTERN, ON FINAL, HE DETERMINED THAT HE WAS TRACKING ABOVE THE VISUAL PAPI GLIDE PATH SO HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT (RECOVER) THE APPROACH WHILE MAINTAINING A STANDARD APPROACH AIRSPEED OF 60 MILES PER HOUR. HE SUBSEQUENTLY ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DEVELOP A HIGH SINK RATE WITHOUT ADEQUATELY CORRECTING. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE TOUCHING DOWN WITH AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT, COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR, CAUSING A PROP STRIKE, AND IMPACTING THE GROUND, WHILE SKIDDING APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET.

ONCE THE AIRPLANE STOPPED MOVING, THE PILOT SHUT OFF THE FUEL SELECTOR AND ELECTRICAL POWER AND EXITED THE AIRPLANE TO WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE. EMERGENCY AIRPORT EQUIPMENT AND RESCUE PERSONNEL ARRIVED QUICKLY. THERE WAS NO ENSUING FIRE, AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.

THE AIRPLANE WAS INSPECTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED POST-INCIDENT BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR. IT WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.

## 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 ERA22LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA222), May 5, 2022: Charles R Kyle Zenith Stol CH 701 (N701VX), Culpepper, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glidepath, which resulted in a hard landing and landing gear collapse.

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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