What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Who: pilot (only person on board aircraft)
What: aircraft accident involving an experimental amateur-built zenith stol CH-701
When: 01 March 2026 at approximately 16:20L
Where: Western north Carolina air museum airport (8NC9)
How: the pilot reported that during takeoff and climb from runway 33, during his first time ever flying this aircraft, the aircraft nosed up more aggressively than anticipated. The pilot further reported the aircraft's flight control surfaces stalled as a result of the high angle of attack and the aircraft impacted trees to the west of runway 33 resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot received only minor injuries that did not require medical attention.
Reference sas task T-EA68-FY26-1021
As the FAA filed it
WHO: PILOT (ONLY PERSON ON BOARD AIRCRAFT)
WHAT: AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT ZENITH STOL CH-701
WHEN: 01 MARCH 2026 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:20L
WHERE: WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIR MUSEUM AIRPORT (8NC9)
HOW: THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF AND CLIMB FROM RUNWAY 33, DURING HIS FIRST TIME EVER FLYING THIS AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED UP MORE AGGRESSIVELY THAN ANTICIPATED. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES STALLED AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES TO THE WEST OF RUNWAY 33 RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION.
REFERENCE SAS TASK T-EA68-FY26-1021
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.