Amateur-built STOL CH 701 accident near Hayward, Wisconsin, June 29, 2009
On June 29, 2009 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built STOL CH 701, registered N861SD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hayward, Wisconsin (Sawyer County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing during gusty wind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience with the accident airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2009 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hayward, Wisconsin · Sawyer County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STOL CH 701
- Registration
- N861SD · no longer on the register · serial 3539
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had purchased the airplane on the day of the accident. Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a wind check from an employee at a local fixed base operator. The employee informed the pilot the wind was from 320 degrees at 10 to 12 knots and gusting to 16 knots. After departure, the pilot "found the winds to be much worse and had a hard time controlling the 1,000 [pound] gross weight plane." After several attempts to land on the different runways at the airport, the pilot elected to land the airplane in a field short of runway 02 (5,003 feet long by 100 feet wide). During the approach, the pilot flared the airplane 15 to 20 feet above the ground and the airplane "just sank." The airplane landed hard and the left main landing gear separated. In addition, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot had no prior experience in the accident airplane make and model prior to this flight.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › (general) › (general) › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,260 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 18, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 190 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 18, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,145 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HYR Hayward WI
- Destination: HYR Hayward WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 5,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.