# Accident 20260301001879A: Morris Bradley D ZENITH STOL CH-701, Hendersonville, NC, March 1, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 1, 2026, 16:20 local time
- Place: Hendersonville, NC
- Airport: Western North Carolina Air Mus
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.3061° N, 82.4340° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3061&lon=-82.4340&mi=10
- Aircraft: N123XP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N123XP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Morris Bradley D ZENITH STOL CH-701 (registry code 05619OK, https://openairdocs.org/model/morris-bradley-d-zenith-stol-ch-701) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MORRIS BRADLEY D ZENITH STOL CH-701
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 650 total, 1 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA133) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260301001879A

## Narrative

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

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

## 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 ERA26LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA133), Mar 1, 2026: Morris Bradley D Zenith Stol CH-701 (N123XP), Hendersonville, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with trees.

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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