Truitt Peter ZENAIR CH 701SP N281Z

Summary

On 24 June 2007 at about 19:30 local time, a Truitt Peter ZENAIR CH 701SP registered N281Z, operated by Aaron W. Kahn, was involved in an accident near Mountain View, Wyoming, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 June 2007 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Mountain View, Wyoming, United States

Coordinates

41.4500, -110.5667

Aircraft

Truitt Peter ZENAIR CH 701SP

Registration

N281Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aaron W. Kahn

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rock Springs → Heber City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN07CA107

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during cruise flight resulting in an impact with terrain. Contributing factors were the wind gust and high density altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The purpose of the flight was to deliver the airplane to a new owner in California. Prior to departure, he checked the weather via computer and had the airplane refueled. The pilot reported "the flight was routine and I was cruising at 8,500 [feet mean sea level] and 80 [miles per hour indicated airspeed] with the landing gear retracted in the floats. Approximately 55 minutes into the flight and over flat terrain with no trees...I encountered an extreme wind gust which caused a severe right yaw, a left bank of approximately 45 degrees, and severe sink...Engine power was full. I could not regain aircraft control or stop the descent. The yaw attitude switched violently from right to left yaw." Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain and was destroyed by post-impact fire. The airplane came to rest in a open field at an estimated elevation of 7,500 feet. The pilot's calculated density altitude was 11,800 feet, and he reported the wind was from 220 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 24 knots. The pilot stated that the airplane had no mechanical problems during the flight, and he had accumulated 4 hours in the accident airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.