History of Flight
On October 28, 2022, at 1243 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Zenith CH 750 Cruzer, registration N820RC, was involved in an accident near Southington, Ohio. The airplane was substantially damaged and the sport pilot was fatally injured. The flight was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to a witness who spoke with the pilot before the flight, the airplane was working "fine" and the pilot intended to fly locally. The witness observed the pilot perform an engine run-up and then take off from runway 22 at about 1130, with no anomalies noted. The airplane turned left into the airport traffic pattern, and the witness departed the airport for his own flight.
The airport manager stated that the pilot typically used runway 4/22 (asphalt) for takeoff and runway 18/36 (turf) for landing, with left traffic patterns for both.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest in a residential yard across the street from airport property. All major components were located near the main wreckage. An odor similar to gasoline was present at the site. The airplane struck a tree before impacting the ground; parts of the windscreen were scattered along a magnetic heading of 239°.
The fuselage with the empennage remained intact. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the elevator and rudder. Continuity was also confirmed from the control stick to the right flaperon and to the base of the left wing. The control rod from the base of the left wing was stripped from its connection point, but impact marks on the fuselage were consistent with the flaperon contacting the fuselage during impact. Contact signatures from both flaperons were similar. The wings were separated from the fuselage by first responders; the flaperons remained attached to their respective wings. The leading edge of the right wing was dented, and the left wing leading edge had semicircular impact damage with tree bark lodged in the area.
The engine remained attached to the airframe. The propeller was manually rotated through 360°, confirming crankshaft and valvetrain continuity. Thumb compression was noted on all cylinders. A lighted borescope examination of the cylinders revealed no anomalies. Both magnetos remained attached; their input drives produced spark on all towers when rotated by hand. Magneto timing was checked and was normal. The carburetor was removed, disassembled, and no anomalies were found. Fuel was present in the carburetor bowl and gascolator. Oil pressure and suction screens were removed, examined, and were not obstructed.
The propeller hub remained attached to the crankshaft. One blade was attached to the hub; the other was impact-separated and found near the main wreckage. Both blades exhibited light chordwise scratching.
Additional Information
The FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3B) describes cross-control stalls as aerodynamic effects of uncoordinated flight. A cross-control stall occurs when the critical angle of attack is exceeded with aileron pressure in one direction and opposite rudder pressure, causing uncoordinated flight. A skidding cross-control stall is most likely to occur during a poorly planned base-to-final approach turn if the airplane overshoots the runway centerline and the pilot attempts to correct by increasing bank, elevator back pressure, and applying rudder in the direction of the turn. This can result in an unwanted increase in bank angle and nose-down pitch. If a stall occurs with these inputs, the airplane may rapidly enter a spin. The handbook advises that for an overshoot, a go-around is the safest action, and pilots should avoid bank angles beyond 30 degrees at low altitude during base-to-final turns.