# NTSB MIA07CA030: Morgan, Marvin R. Zenair CH701 Stol, N817DJ, Lithia, FL, December 24, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 24, 2006, 13:25 local (18:25 UTC) - Place: Lithia, FL - Coordinates: 27.805555, -82.140274 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.8056&lon=-82.1403&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA North Florida FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 65065 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA07CA030 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65065/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07CA030 ## Probable cause Collapse of the nosegear for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear - collapsed - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The pilot stated the accident flight departed KPCM at about 12:30 local time. After about an hour of local flight, which included several landings and take-offs from a local grass strip (Blackwater Creek), we flew to my private airstrip, OFL6. We made a normal STOL approach at 50 mph and with 2 notches of flap. There was a slight quartering tail wind from the right. We made a reasonably firm arrival on the main gear as usual. The nose dropped as expected, but then continued to drop so that the propeller impacted the ground. There was no sensation of the nose gear touching the ground and then failing; the nose simply dropped through the normal landing attitude as if the nose gear were not there. After the propeller contacted the ground, the aircraft very slowly nosed over and came to rest on its back. I undid the 4 point harness and exited through the left door, and went around to the other side to help the passenger out. There were no injuries. Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that the nose wheel (which is directly linked to the rudder pedals for ground steering) was about 45 degrees to the left. The forks which hold the nose wheel were deformed in a way that suggest that the nose wheel contacted the ground while turned to the left. It Is possible that if the nose wheel had been straight when it contacted the ground, then the nose gear would not have been subjected to such high rearward loads, and might not have collapsed. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated the accident flight departed KPCM at about 12:30 local time. The pilot stated, "After about an hour of local flight, which included several landings and take-offs from a local grass strip (Blackwater Creek), we flew to my private airstrip, OFL6. We made a normal STOL approach at 50 mph and with 2 notches of flap. There was a slight quartering tail wind from the right. We made a reasonably firm arrival on the main gear as usual. The nose dropped as expected, but then continued to drop so that the propeller impacted the ground. There was no sensation of the nose gear touching the ground and then failing; the nose simply dropped through the normal landing attitude as if the nose gear were not there. After the propeller contacted the ground, the aircraft very slowly nosed over and came to rest on its back. I undid the 4 point harness and exited through the left door, and went around to the other side to help the passenger out." There were no injuries. Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that the nose wheel (which is directly linked to the rudder pedals for ground steering) was about 45 degrees to the left. The forks which hold the nose wheel were deformed in a way that is consistent with the nose gear being turned to the left at the time of landing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N817DJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N817DJ), registered now, S/N 7-9244, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Morgan, Marvin R. Zenair CH701 STOL - Registry model: [Morgan Marvin R ZENAIR CH701 STOL](https://openairdocs.org/model/morgan-marvin-r-zenair-ch701-stol) (registry code 056119L) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 7-9244 - Airframe hours: 114 - Engines: Rotax 912S 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Sebastion J. Dewhurst - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2006 - Departed: KPCM, Plant City, FL - Destination: Lithia, FL - Airport: 0FL6, Stanchester, runway 33, 500 × 60 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; last flight review February 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 675 total, 18 in this make and model, 612 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: KPCM, 12 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 20061224027539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061224027539A), Dec 24, 2006: Morgan ZENAIRCH701S, Lithia, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Normal landing to an unimproved strip resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear. Aircraft came to rest inverted as a result. 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.