# Accident 20230311003749A: Harris Robert W ZENITH CH 801, Brigham City, UT, March 11, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 11, 2023, 11:48 local time
- Place: Brigham City, UT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.5543° N, 112.0623° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5543&lon=-112.0623&mi=10
- Aircraft: N639BH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N639BH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Harris Robert W ZENITH CH 801 (registry code 05621TL, https://openairdocs.org/model/harris-robert-w-zenith-ch-801) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6A-350SER (registry code 27023, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6a-350ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HARRIS ROBERT W ZENITH CH 801
- Reported engine: FRANKLIN 6A-350SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 505 total, 14 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA134) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230311003749A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT STATES HE TOOK OFF FROM BRIGHAM CITY AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 35 AND PLANNED "TO DO A FEW TOUCH AND GO'S". PILOT STATES HE WENT AROUND THE PATTERN ONE TIME AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. HE THEN IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN. AT ABOUT 150 FEET THE AIRCRAFT WAS STABLE AT 60-65 MPH CLIMB, WHICH THE PILOT STATES IS NORMAL. PILOT STATED HE WAS MONITORING OIL PRESSURE, TEMP AND CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS REGULARLY AND EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. SUDDENLY, THE PILOT STATED HE LOST ALL THRUST. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. PILOT STATES HE IMMEDIATELY PUT THE NOSE DOWN TO MAINTAIN 60-65 MPH AIR SPEED AND LINED UP WITH THE RUNWAY TO LAND. SUDDENLY, THE PILOT STATED HAD FULL THRUST AGAIN FOR ABOUT 1 SECOND, THEN LOST ALL THRUST AGAIN. THE PILOT STATED HE MAINTAINED 60-65 MPH AND FLARED, BUT WITH NO FLAPS IT WAS A HARD LANDING. THE NOSE WHEEL BROKE OFF AND THE PLANE SLID DOWN THE RUNWAY ON THE NOSE WHEEL POST SO THAT THE COWLING NEVER HIT THE GROUND.

THE PROP STRIKE STOPPED THE ENGINE. THE PILOT STATES HE RADIOED TO OTHERS IN THE PATTERN THAT THE PLANE WAS BLOCKING THE RUNWAY. PILOT STATED THAT FROM THE TIME HE LOST THRUST TO TOUCHDOWN WAS ONLY A FEW SECONDS.

## 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 WPR23LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA134), Mar 11, 2023: Harris Robert W Zenith CH 801 (N639BH), Brigham City, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing following a reported loss of engine thrust for undetermined reasons.

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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