No fatalities

16 May 2020: Zenith ZODIAC CH 650 No Series — Carthage, NC

Carthage, NC, United States

On 16 May 2020, a Zenith ZODIAC CH 650 No Series was involved in an aviation accident near Carthage, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during landing with a tail wind, which resulted in a runway excursion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 10 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

While landing, a tailwind gust caused the pilot to land long. The airplane exited the runway and struck vegetation, damaging both wings. The pilot reported no mechanical issues. Weather station recorded variable wind at 4 knots.

Accident Description

The pilot reported that during the landing, a gust of tailwind affected the aircraft's trajectory, leading to a landing that was longer than anticipated. As a result, the airplane overran the runway surface and subsequently entered an area with vegetation. The collision with vegetation caused substantial structural damage to both wings of the airplane.

Pilot Statement

In his report, the pilot explicitly stated that there were no mechanical failures or system malfunctions prior to the accident that would have interfered with normal aircraft operation. The pilot did not identify any other contributing factors from the aircraft's systems.

Weather Conditions

An automated weather observation facility, situated 7 nautical miles to the southeast of the accident location, recorded that the wind was variable at 4 knots around the time of the event. The pilot reported encountering a tailwind gust during the landing maneuver.

Aircraft Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.

Contributing factors

Causes

Descent/approach/glide path — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation