# NTSB SEA07CA130: Aircraft Mfg & Dev. CH 2000, N363AM, Merced, CA, May 15, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 15, 2007, 13:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Merced, CA - Coordinates: 37.284721, -120.513885 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2847&lon=-120.5139&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 25, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 65824 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07CA130 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65824/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07CA130 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadvertent stall/mush during a simulated power loss after takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's lack of familiarity with the make/model of aircraft. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - stall/mush - inadvertent, dual student (cause) - Hard landing, descent - uncontrolled - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) ## Analysis The flight instructor said the instructional flight was to prepare the student for his stage two check, which was to be followed by his first solo flight. The student had received 41.2 hours of instruction, with 5.4 hours in this make/model aircraft. The flight instructor had planned for a simulated engine failure after takeoff; it was the flight instructor's first practice simulated engine failure after takeoff in this make/model aircraft. He pulled the throttle to idle, but the student held the yoke in the climb attitude as opposed to nosing the airplane down for best glide speed. The flight instructor said that he realized the airspeed was low and the aircraft was in a high rate of descent, but his remedial attempts did not prevent a hard landing. The airplane's firewall was wrinkled, and the empennage and horizontal stabilizer were bent. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor said the instructional flight was to prepare the student for his stage two check, which was to be followed by his first solo flight. The student had received 41.2 hours of instruction, with 5.4 hours in this make/model aircraft. The flight instructor had planned for a simulated engine failure after takeoff; it was the flight instructor's first practice simulated engine failure after takeoff in this make/model aircraft. He pulled the throttle to idle, but the student held the yoke in the climb attitude as opposed to nosing the airplane down for best glide speed. The flight instructor said that he realized the airspeed was low and the aircraft was in a high rate of descent, but his remedial attempts did not prevent a hard landing. The airplane's firewall was wrinkled, and the empennage and horizontal stabilizer were bent. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N363AM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N363AM-2018-09-13), registration cancelled 2018-09-13, S/N 20-1057, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aircraft Mfg & Dev. Co. (AMD) CH 2000 - Registry model: [Aircraft Mfg & Development CH 2000](https://openairdocs.org/model/aircraft-mfg-development-ch-2000) (registry code 0033001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20-1057 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-N2C reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Sierra Academy of Aeronautics - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: MER, Atwater, CA - Destination: MER - Airport: MCE, Merced Municipal Airport, runway 30, 5,903 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 32; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; flight hours: 512 total, 23 in this make and model, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F - Observed at: MCE ## 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 20070515009509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070515009509A), May 15, 2007: Zinair CH2000, Atwater, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On 5/15/2007, at 1315 PDT, zenair CH-2000 aircraft, N363AM, sustained substantial structural damage when it crashed on takeoff from runway 30 at merced… 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.