No fatalities

13 Feb 2012: ZENAIR LTD CH 2000 — Warrenton, VA

Warrenton, VA, United States

On 13 Feb 2012, a ZENAIR LTD CH 2000 was involved in an aviation accident near Warrenton, VA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's failure to follow instruction and to relinquish control of the airplane to the flight instructor in a timely manner, which resulted in a runway excursion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a simulated engine-out/aborted takeoff training flight, a student pilot over-rotated, failed to reduce power when instructed, and did not timely relinquish controls. The certified flight instructor applied right rudder and brakes, but the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck a sign, substantially damaging the right wing.

Incident Overview

A certified flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot, who was also the airplane owner, were conducting training on simulated engine-out and aborted takeoff procedures. The first aborted takeoff was completed without incident. During a second attempt, the student pilot over-rotated the airplane, causing it to climb to approximately 20 feet. The student then applied full engine power and landed the airplane back on the runway.

Sequence of Events

Upon landing, the student pilot did not reduce the engine power to idle as instructed by the CFI. Additionally, the student reported that he did not transfer control of the aircraft to the CFI in a timely manner. In response, the CFI applied right rudder and brakes. However, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and collided with a runway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing.

Pilot Information

The student pilot had accumulated approximately 102 hours of total flight experience, of which about 100 hours were in the same make and model of the accident airplane. The CFI reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Damage Assessment

The impact with the runway sign caused substantial damage to the right wing. The extent of damage to other parts of the airplane was not specified.

Investigation Findings

No mechanical anomalies were identified that could have contributed to the accident. The pilots reported that the airplane was operating normally prior to the event.

Contributing factors

Instructor/check pilotStudent pilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained