20260815009439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mcfarland Larry C ZENITH 601 HDS · Ravenswood, WV · August 15, 2026

Date: August 15, 2026 · 13:27 local
Place: Ravenswood, WV
Airport: Jackson County
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N601EZ
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA26LA303
Reported as: Mcfarland Larry C Zenith 601 HDS
Reported engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 500 total

N601EZRegistered now · Mcfarland Larry C ZENITH 601 HDSS/N 6-4117 · Built 2004 Airframe modelMcfarland Larry C ZENITH 601 HDS Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft took off from Jackson County (I18) on 8/16/2026 around 1300 local time. Aircraft turned downwind in pattern and lost ignition as stated by the pilot. Aircraft being experimental only had single ignition system installed and loss of ignition caused engine to stop. Pilot attempted to land back at field but did not have enough altitude to make landing. Pilot landed in soft field. Upon landing, nose landing gear broke off and the aircraft flipped on its top. Pilot was trapped in the aircraft for over 20 hours. Pilot stated that no maintenance had been performed on the engine or ignition system recently.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM JACKSON COUNTY (I18) ON 8/16/2026 AROUND 1300 LOCAL TIME. AIRCRAFT TURNED DOWNWIND IN PATTERN AND LOST IGNITION AS STATED BY THE PILOT. AIRCRAFT BEING EXPERIMENTAL ONLY HAD SINGLE IGNITION SYSTEM INSTALLED AND LOSS OF IGNITION CAUSED ENGINE TO STOP. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND BACK AT FIELD BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO MAKE LANDING. PILOT LANDED IN SOFT FIELD. UPON LANDING, NOSE LANDING GEAR BROKE OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED ON ITS TOP. PILOT WAS TRAPPED IN THE AIRCRAFT FOR OVER 20 HOURS. PILOT STATED THAT NO MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE ENGINE OR IGNITION SYSTEM RECENTLY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA26LA303Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportRipley Landing, WVOn August 15, 2026, about 1300 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Zenith 601 HDS airplane, N601EZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Ripley Landing, West Virginia. The private pilot was seriously injured.…Aug 15, 2026 · Substantial damage