What happened
On December 12, 2024, at approximately 1315 Pacific standard time, a Zall Jihlavan Airplanes S R JA-600, registration N789RC, was involved in an accident near Reedley, California. The flight was being conducted as a Part 91 instructional flight.
The student pilot was performing his first solo flight and had successfully completed two takeoffs and two landings on runway 16. During the rollout of the third landing, the pilot reported hearing a loud thumping noise near the nose landing gear and felt the aircraft begin to skid left and right. While attempting to regain control, the pilot reached forward to retract the flaps and accidentally bumped the throttle, which increased the engine power. After the pilot reduced the power, the aircraft veered to the left, exited the runway, and struck a runway sign before coming to rest upright in a grassy area.
The student pilot sustained one minor injury, and there were no fatalities.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft showed that the nose wheel landing gear had collapsed and the lower fuselage sustained substantial damage. The wreckage was kept for further examination.