Zenith CH750 N750GZ

Summary

On 16 May 2019 at about 19:35 local time, a Zenith CH750 registered N750GZ was involved in an accident near Savannah, Tennessee, United States. 2 people were 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

16 May 2019 at 19:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Savannah, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Savannah-Hardin County (SNH)

Coordinates

35.1511, -88.2122

Aircraft

Zenith CH750

Registration

N750GZ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2018

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Savannah → Savannah

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19LA177

Nobody was injured.

The total loss of engine power due to a loss of all electrical power. Contributing to the accident was the inaccessible placement of the alternator circuit breaker and the construction of the airplane without a backup electrical source.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a personal flight in the experimental amateur-built airplane, and after departing the local area, noticed the DC electrical bus voltage decrease from 13.6 volts to 12.5 volts. He initiated a turn back to the airport and about 2 minutes later, the DC bus voltage decreased to 0 volts and the engine stopped producing power. The pilot performed a forced landing to an open field, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was constructed such that the engine was electrically dependent on a single alternator and a single battery to provide required electrical power to operate the fuel pump and ignition systems. Examination of the airplane revealed that the alternator circuit breaker, which was located behind the instrument panel and out of view of and inaccessible to the pilot, was tripped. Based on the pilot's description of events, it is likely that an electrical load drew an excessive current through the alternator circuit breaker, which resulted in it tripping and interrupting the electrical power supplied by the alternator. The engine's electrically-operated fuel and ignition systems continued to function on battery power for about 2 minutes before the engine stopped running. The pilot's reported inability to restore electrical power (and subsequently, engine power) at a low altitude resulted in the forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.