WPR24LA115

NTSB accident investigation · Zenith Zodiac CH601 · Rawlins, WY · March 15, 2024

Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal report
Date
March 15, 2024, 13:20 local (19:20 UTC)
Place
Rawlins, WY
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N43373Zenith Zodiac CH601
Defining event
Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20240315005219A
Case key
193961

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to see and avoid powerlines during an unstabilized approach, which resulted the airplane landing short of the runway and coming to rest inverted.

Findings · 3

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.

Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide pathAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedHenry Donivan W ZODIAC 601-HDS: 1 caseAll aircraft: 809 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: wireEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of conditionHenry Donivan W ZODIAC 601-HDS: 1 caseAll aircraft: 588 casesProbable cause

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 student pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was for him to perform touch-and-go takeoffs and landings flying solo. After a normal takeoff, he configured the airplane on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern with the engine operating at 1,700 rpm and a descent rate of approximately 500 ft/min descent while maintaining an airspeed of about 75 kt airspeed. He noticed the precision approach position indicator (PAPI) lights showed 3 white and 1 red (indicating he was slightly high on the approach path), and in response, maneuvered the airplane in a more nose-up attitude. As he proceeded on the final approach path, the fuselage collided with powerlines that were oriented perpendicular to the runway and about 300 ft from the threshold. The nose dropped and the pilot attempted to flare. The main landing gear touched down short of the runway threshold and then the nose gear settled into soft mud. The airplane nosed-over, coming to rest inverted. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions of failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N43373
Reported as
Zenith Zodiac CH601 (HDS)
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
6-3803
Built
2006
Engine
Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · January 1, 2024
Destination
Same as departure
Airport
RWL · Rawlins Municipal/Harvey Field, runway 04, 7,008 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
None

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
73
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Student
Medical
Sport pilot, Unknown
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
32 total · 1 in this make and model · 0 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
45 °F
Altimeter
29.90 inHg

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 31, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 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.