Harris Robert W ZENITH CH 801 N639BH

Summary

On 11 March 2023 at about 18:30 local time, a Harris Robert W ZENITH CH 801 registered N639BH was involved in an accident near Brigham City, Utah, 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

11 March 2023 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Brigham City, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Brigham City Rgnl (BMC)

Coordinates

41.5543, -112.0623

Aircraft

Harris Robert W ZENITH CH 801

Registration

N639BH

Category

Airplane

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23LA134

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing following a reported loss of engine thrust for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane sustained a loss of engine thrust during the initial takeoff climb, but the engine continued to run. The pilot elected to land on the remaining runway; however, during the landing flare, the airplane landed hard on its nose and the nose landing gear collapsed. Additionally, the pilot stated that he defueled about 40 gallons of fuel from the airplane after the accident. A visual inspection of the fuel system was conducted, and continuity was established from the main fuel tanks throughout the system; however, fuel was not observed within the fuel system. A postaccident engine ground run was accomplished, and the engine performed at various power settings. Due to a damaged propeller, the propeller governor was removed and functionally tested; it performed within manufacturer's specifications. Postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the propeller governor indicated no visible signs of damage and the governor control lever moved freely from stop to stop. The propeller governor was functionally tested and performed within the manufacturer's specifications. While it’s likely that the loss of engine thrust may have been fuel related, it could not be substantiated due to the available evidence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.