Zenith 750 CRUZER N161AR

Summary

On 14 September 2021 at about 13:40 local time, a Zenith 750 CRUZER registered N161AR was involved in an accident near New Smyrna, Florida, 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

14 September 2021 at 13:40

Classification

Accident

Location

New Smyrna, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Massey Ranch Airpark (X50)

Coordinates

28.9787, -80.9245

Aircraft

Zenith 750 CRUZER

Registration

N161AR

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

Unknown → Greenvillle

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA360

Nobody was injured.

The mechanic’s inadequate inspection of the flight control system, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had just purchased the experimental amateur-built airplane and performed a preflight inspection that revealed no anomalies. After departure, the elevator control became momentarily jammed in the nose-down position multiple times, and the pilot elected to return to the departure airport. After two go-around maneuvers due to elevator jamming, the elevator jammed again about 10 ft above the ground during the third landing attempt. The left wing impacted the ground and the airplane veered off the runway and came to rest inverted in a pond. Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed that the elevator bracket was becoming lodged against a nylon stop block installed in the empennage. It is likely that, while in flight, once the elevator was moved far enough in the nose-down position, the airflow around the elevator forced the elevator to contact the nylon block and jam it in the nose-down position. Examination also revealed evidence of long-term control cable contact with the empennage structure and a lack of tension on the elevator and flight control cables. A mechanic completed a condition inspection, which included examination of the flight control cables and structure, the day before the accident. Based on all available information, it is likely that this inspection was inadequate because it failed to identify and correct the flight control anomalies that ultimately resulted in the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.