Ernest T Christley ZENITH ZODIAC 601XL N167EZ

Summary

On 29 May 2017 at about 17:30 local time, a Ernest T Christley ZENITH ZODIAC 601XL registered N167EZ was involved in an accident near Sanford, North Carolina, 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

29 May 2017 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sanford, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.4436, -79.1111

Aircraft

Ernest T Christley ZENITH ZODIAC 601XL

Registration

N167EZ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2016

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Apex → Apex

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA17TA196

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s selection of a threaded metal rod of insufficient strength to connect the fuel tank selector handle to the fuel valve, which resulted in his inability to switch fuel tanks and a subsequent total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot, who was the builder of the experimental, amateur-built airplane, reported that the airplane was in cruise flight when the engine experienced a total loss of power. He noted that the right fuel tank was empty and that the fuel selector handle was on the left tank. He attempted a restart; however, this was unsuccessful, and he performed a forced landing in a field. The nose landing gear collapsed during the landing roll, resulting in structural damage to the lower fuselage and engine firewall. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel tank selector handle was on the left tank but the fuel valve remained on the empty right tank. Further examination of the hardware revealed that a threaded metal rod that the pilot installed to connect the tank selector handle to the fuel valve "twisted like bubble gum" when rotated and would not turn the fuel valve. The pilot, who was the airplane builder, used a thinner rod than specified due to an interference problem. This rod was not part of the airplane kit and was improvised by the pilot. The pilot reported that the handle/valve assembly had operated normally during initial testing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.