# NTSB ERA14CA200: Kaldor Gregory N Zenith 701, N851RC, Eutaw Springs, SC, April 14, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: April 14, 2014, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Eutaw Springs, SC
- Coordinates: 33.389385, -80.339462 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3894&lon=-80.3395&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 30, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- NTSB case key (mKey): 89064
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA200
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89064/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89064
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA200

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to execute a precautionary landing to unsuitable terrain following an inflight encounter with a wind gust, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=05629ZX), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=05629ZX), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=05629ZX), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)
- [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=05629ZX), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=05629ZX), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05629ZX), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05629ZX), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05629ZX), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, he was flying over a small airstrip near a campground when he experienced a severe gust of wind that made the airplane turn abruptly to the right. The pilot felt that the airplane was out of control and decided to make a precautionary landing in a plowed field. During the precautionary landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose landing gear, wings, and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

According to the pilot, he was flying over a small airstrip near a campground when he experienced a severe gust of wind that made the airplane turn abruptly to the right. The pilot felt that the airplane was out of control and decided to make a precautionary landing in a plowed field. During the precautionary landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose landing gear, wings, and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N851RC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N851RC-2016-09-13), registration cancelled 2016-09-13, S/N 7-5747, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: KALDOR GREGORY N ZENITH 701
- Registry model: [Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701](https://openairdocs.org/model/kaldor-gregory-n-zenith-701) (registry code 05629ZX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 7-5747
- Year built: 2010
- Engines: ROTAX 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Robert Wilson
- Registered owner: Banitt Byron Bradley
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: AAIP, March 12, 2014, 156 hours before
- Departed: MNI, Manning, SC
- Destination: MNI, Manning, SC

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 30, 2013; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 475 total, 17 in this make and model, 475 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observed at: MNI, 27 nm away

## 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 20140414005709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140414005709A), Apr 14, 2014: Kaldor Gregory N ZENITH 701, Eutawville, SC, Substantial damage. One April 14, 2014 at approximately 1800 hours EST an experimental, amateur built, zenith 701 N851RC was substantially damaged when the pilot made an emergency…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 27, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89064. 1.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413759&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1 – View of Buckled firewall (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 73 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413760&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20Buckled%20firewall%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 – View of left side main wreckage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413761&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20left%20side%20main%20wreckage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF
- Photo 3- View of nose gear buckled (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413762&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203-%20View%20of%20nose%20gear%20buckled%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF
- Photo 4: View of nose of airplane (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413763&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%3A%20View%20of%20nose%20of%20airplane%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.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.

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