Zenith 750 N186BG

Summary

On 23 December 2025 at about 23:43 local time, a Zenith 750 registered N186BG was involved in an accident near Yacolt, Washington, 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

23 December 2025 at 23:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Yacolt, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Parkside Airpark (WA87)

Coordinates

45.8734, -122.4958

Aircraft

Zenith 750

Registration

N186BG

Category

Airplane

Year built

2025

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Battle Ground → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR26LA072

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was returning to the airport while conducting a phase 1 test flight in an experimental airplane when he detected a burning odor. He scanned the engine instruments which all showed normal indications. Shortly after, about 4 miles from his home airport, the engine shut down. He reported his position and intentions on the local radio frequency and initiated a forced landing to a down sloping field. During the landing roll the airplane impacted terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot also reported that after he exited the airplane, he didn’t see any oil or water dripping from the cowling or oil spray on the windshield. At the time of the accident the airplane had accrued 16 hours of operation. The FAA conducted a postaccident examination of the experimental airframe and engine, which revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that he found an odor from one of the engine control unit (ECU) connectors, although a review of the electrical system by the FAA did not reveal any evidence of electrical system damage. The ECU was sent to the engine manufacturer and tested normally with a functioning engine. Based on this information, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.