Zenair CH 2000 N642AM

Summary

On 6 October 2018 at about 01:45 local time, a Zenair CH 2000 registered N642AM was involved in an accident near Topeka, Kansas, United States. One person was 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

6 October 2018 at 01:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Topeka, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Philip Billard Muni (TOP)

Coordinates

39.0689, -95.6225

Aircraft

Zenair CH 2000

Registration

N642AM

Category

Airplane

Year built

2000

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lawrence → Topeka

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

GAA19CA006

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and a subsequent runway excursion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, following his first solo flight in the recently acquired airplane, during landing, the airplane crossed the runway threshold about 70 knots airspeed with full flaps, and he placed the throttle in the idle position. During the landing flare, the airplane sank abruptly and touched down hard. The airplane bounced and exited the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to go around, but the airplane descended and impacted the grass safety area on the left side of the runway. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right fuselage formers. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.