# NTSB ANC06LA086: Storm Zenair CH-701, N4233J, Fairbanks, AK, July 9, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 9, 2006, 14:55 local (22:55 UTC) - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Coordinates: 64.853614, -147.402221 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8536&lon=-147.4022&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report January 31, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Fairbanks FSDO-01 - NTSB case key (mKey): 64075 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC06LA086 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64075/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06LA086 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during cruise flight, which resulted in an emergency descent into trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - normal - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The sport pilot was conducting a cross-country flight to a nearby airport to practice takeoffs and landings in an amateur built experimental airplane under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that the engine lost all power and the airplane descended into trees, receiving structural damage to its wings and fuselage. The pilot stated he was unaware of what precipitated the loss of engine power. The airplane was not examined by an NTSB investigator. ## Factual narrative On July 9, 2006, about 1455 Alaska daylight time, a Storm Zenair CH-701 experimental amateur-built airplane, N4233J, sustained substantial damage when it collided with brush covered terrain during an emergency landing following a loss of engine power, about 9 miles east of Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo sport pilot certificated pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Chena Marina Airport, Fairbanks, about 1345, and was bound for Bradley Airfield, North Pole, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 18, the pilot said he had been in the air for about 30 minutes en route to his destination when the airplane's engine "stuttered and then quit." He said during the emergency landing the airplane impacted brush covered terrain. The pilot said the airplane sustained structural damage to the left wing, fuselage, and horizontal stabilizer. He indicated there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. He reported that the engine had quit previously due to a failed seal, but the airplane's engine had been rebuilt, and he had flown 45-50 hours since the rebuild. The pilot was unaware of what precipitated the loss of engine power on the accident flight. The airplane was not examined by an NTSB investigator. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4233J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4233J), registered now, S/N 7-1553, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Storm Zenair CH-701 - Registry model: [Storm Harold D ZENAIR CH-701](https://openairdocs.org/model/storm-harold-d-zenair-ch-701) (registry code 05649CS) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 3957028 - Airframe hours: 361 - Engines: Rotax 582 LC 66 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert Harte - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, September 1, 2005, 37 hours before - Departed: AK28, Chena Marina, AK - Destination: 95Z, North Pole, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: serious; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot, unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 170 total, 145 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060709012519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060709012519A), Jul 9, 2006: Amtr CH701, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) [privacy data omitted] pilot reported that in cruise at 1000 feet on the south side of the tanana river across from fort wainwright the engine quit. He… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.