# NTSB CEN25LA078: Zenith Stol CH750, N749WJ, Byron, IL, January 15, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 15, 2025, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Byron, IL - Coordinates: 42.198629, -89.2904 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1986&lon=-89.2904&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 199556 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA078 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199556/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199556 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA078 ## Probable cause The pilot inadvertently moved the ignition key to the off position and broke the key, which resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unintentional use/operation; cases with it: [William R Mcwethy STOL CH750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000/cases.md?model=05631ZT), [All aircraft, 63 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [William R Mcwethy STOL CH750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=05631ZT), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [William R Mcwethy STOL CH750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05631ZT), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [William R Mcwethy STOL CH750, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05631ZT), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, he noticed that his heavy keychain was pulling the key out of the ignition switch. He reached down to push the key back in, but inadvertently moved the key to the off position due to the thick glove on his hand, which resulted in a loss of engine power. When he attempted to reinsert the key and restart the engine, the key broke inside the ignition switch. He was unable to use the broken key to restart the engine. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no other mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N749WJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N749WJ), registered now, S/N 75-7751, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ZENITH STOL CH750 - Registry model: [William R Mcwethy STOL CH750](https://openairdocs.org/model/william-r-mcwethy-stol-ch750) (registry code 05631ZT) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 75-7751 - Year built: 2012 - Airframe hours: 560 - Engines: UL Power 350i 118 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, December 2, 2024 - Departed: C73, Dixon, IL - Destination: 1C8, Rockford, IL - Flight plan: VFR - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; last flight review November 11, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 654 total, 542 in this make and model, 654 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 16 °F, dew point 1 °F - Altimeter: 30.42 inHg - Observed at: KRFD, 9 nm away - METAR: KRFD 151654Z 21011KT 10SM CLR M09/M17 A3042 RMK AO2 SLP317 T10891167 ## 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 20250115000759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250115000759A), Jan 15, 2025: William R Mcwethy STOL CH750, Byron, IL, Minor damage. On January 15, 2025, at approximately 10:00 am CDT, aircraft [privacy data omitted] departed from C73 dixon municipal airport en route to 1C8 cottonwood… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 12, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199556. 10.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18227241&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20Pilot%202_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 6.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18227107&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20photos-Rel.pdf 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.