- Date
- December 6, 2025, 14:51 local (20:51 UTC)
- Place
- Weatherford, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N701SAZenith Stol CH701
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 19, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20251206018439A
- Case key
- 202127
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot being in a rush and failing to note the wind direction and speed.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot diverted to an alternate airport due to foggy weather along his route of flight. The pilot stated that while descending to land, the weather was getting worse and he wanted to get on the ground quickly. While landing on runway 35, the airplane dropped from about 20 ft above ground level and the left landing gear hit first. The pilot was unable to maintain control, and the airplane nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, rudder, and wings. The pilot stated the accident could have been prevented by noting the windsock direction and wind speed and that he would never rush a landing again. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Weather reports indicated that the pilot landed the airplane with a 10-knot right quartering tailwind.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N701SA
- Reported as
- Zenith Stol CH701
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 7-6054
- Built
- 2021
- Airframe hours
- 350
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 23, 2023
- Destination
- F22 · Perry, OK
- Airport
- OJA · Weatherford Stafford Airport, runway 35, 5,100 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 350 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.72 inHg
- Observed at
- KOJA
- METAR
- METAR KOJA 062050Z AUTO 16010KT 10SM BKN010 07/04 A2972 RMK AO2 T00700040=
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 19, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 118 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N701SA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.