James Donald Baker ZENITH N622DP

Summary

On 22 May 2018 at about 14:30 local time, a James Donald Baker ZENITH registered N622DP was involved in an accident near Bolivar, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 May 2018 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bolivar, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Bolivar Municipal (M17)

Coordinates

37.6001, -93.4093

Aircraft

James Donald Baker ZENITH

Registration

N622DP

Category

Airplane

Year built

2007

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bolivar → Bolivar

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN18FA186

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control after takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot departed for a local personal flight in the experimental airplane that he had built and flown for about 500 hours. A witness saw the airplane flying about 50 feet above trees with the nose oscillating up and down. According to the witness, the engine was not "making any strange noises [and had a] steady tone." The airplane struck trees and impacted the ground about 0.75 mile south of the airport. Postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and propeller revealed no discrepancies or anomalies that would have prevented normal operation.The damage to the propeller blades was consistent with rotation at impact. An autopsy of the pilot was not performed. According to the toxicology report, no ethanol or drugs were detected. Given the oscillations described by the witness, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain airplane control following the takeoff.   

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.