Zenair ZENITH CH 701 N701BJ

Summary

On 5 October 2019 at about 15:30 local time, a Zenair ZENITH CH 701 registered N701BJ was involved in an accident near Garden Ridge, Texas, 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

5 October 2019 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Garden Ridge, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Kitty Hawk Flying Field (TS67)

Coordinates

29.6219, -98.2772

Aircraft

Zenair ZENITH CH 701

Registration

N701BJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2002

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Garden Ridge → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA005

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was fully loaded with fuel and that all preflight checks were normal for the personal flight. He indicated that, after departure, as the airplane reached between about 10 and 15 ft above ground level, the engine power rolled back "opposite of a surge." He landed straight ahead into brush past the runway end. During the landing, the right main landing gear and nose landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. During the engine examination, several items were identified that could have contributed to a reduction or loss of engine power, including a lack of a fuel return line, a loose exhaust pipe, dirty air filters, and a disconnected choke lever. However, an engine test run was conducted without correcting any of the identified deficiencies, and the engine performed without interruption; no anomalies were noted. Further, no anomalies were noted during the airframe examination. Although the conditions were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power, the airplane was operating at takeoff power at the time of the accident. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.