Zenith STOL CH701 N237FC

Summary

On 17 July 2025 at about 15:22 local time, a Zenith STOL CH701 registered N237FC was involved in an accident near Blaine, Minnesota, 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

17 July 2025 at 15:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Blaine, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Anoka County/Blaine (Janes FLD (ANE)

Coordinates

45.1449, -93.2102

Aircraft

Zenith STOL CH701

Registration

N237FC

Category

Airplane

Year built

2023

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Blaine → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN25LA258

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported the accident occurred while landing following the Phase 1 test flight. During the landing roll, with the nosewheel still off the runway, the airplane suddenly pitched down and veered left. The pilot attempted to regain directional control with a right rudder pedal input, but the airplane continued to veer left and departed off the side of the runway into the grass where the nose landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground. The fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage during the runway excursion. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 27 with wind from 320° at 4 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.