Arnold ZODIAC CH 650 N715AK

Summary

On 27 February 2015 at about 23:00 local time, a Arnold ZODIAC CH 650 registered N715AK was involved in an accident near Greeley, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 February 2015 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Greeley, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Greeley-Weld County (GXY)

Coordinates

40.4375, -104.6333

Aircraft

Arnold ZODIAC CH 650

Registration

N715AK

Category

Airplane

Year built

2012

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greeley → Greeley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15CA159

Nobody was injured.

The pilot was unable to maintain directional control during the landing due to the foreign object that lodged behind the rudder.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had recently purchased the experimental amateur-built airplane. He was flying with a flight instructor to gain flight experience in the airplane. The pilot reported that he had made a normal left hand pattern and approach to the runway. During the flare, he attempted to maneuver the airplane to the right using aileron and right rudder inputs. The pilot said that the rudder would not move and he focused on the rudder problem. The airplane rolled out on the runway in a "sideways motion," the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down on the runway. After exiting the airplane, the pilot and instructor observed an auxiliary electrical plug had lodged behind the right rudder pedal and had jammed it. The pilot indicated that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions. The flight instructor's safety recommendation, in part, stated, "This could have been prevented by stowing all movable items before and during flight to keep them away from the flight controls."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.