Amateur-built ZENITH CH 701 accident near Palmer, Alaska, May 5, 2015
On May 5, 2015 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 2004 amateur-built ZENITH CH 701, registered N669RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive descent rate and subsequent hard landing during the landing flare/touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2015 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENITH CH 701 NO SERIES, built 2004
- Registration
- N669RJ · registry record · serial 7-4226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot reported that he was landing his float-equipped, experimental amateur-built airplane on a remote, smooth and glassy water lake. The pilot said that during the approach, just before touchdown, the airplane encountered a slight downdraft, and the airplane's right float struck the water, which pivoted it to the right. The left wing subsequently struck the water, and the airplane nosed over and sank. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Glassy › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 985 hours in all; 675 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 925 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 702 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 2015; 5 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax SEE BOMBADIER (piston); 702 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L95 Big Lake AK
- Destination: Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on August 25, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.