Amateur-built ZODIAC CH 650 accident near Greeley, Colorado, February 27, 2015
On February 27, 2015 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built ZODIAC CH 650, registered N715AK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley-Weld County airport). It was an instructional 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 was unable to maintain directional control during the landing due to the foreign object that lodged behind the rudder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2015 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley-Weld County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZODIAC CH 650 NO SERIES, built 2012
- Registration
- N715AK · no longer on the register · serial 65-8391
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had recently purchased the experimental amateur-built airplane. He was flying with a flight instructor to gain flight experience in the airplane. The pilot reported that he had made a normal left hand pattern and approach to the runway. During the flare, he attempted to maneuver the airplane to the right using aileron and right rudder inputs. The pilot said that the rudder would not move and he focused on the rudder problem. The airplane rolled out on the runway in a "sideways motion," the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down on the runway. After exiting the airplane, the pilot and instructor observed an auxiliary electrical plug had lodged behind the right rudder pedal and had jammed it. The pilot indicated that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions. The flight instructor's safety recommendation, in part, stated, "This could have been prevented by stowing all movable items before and during flight to keep them away from the flight controls."
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Flight control sys malf/fail during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,076 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 3, 2014
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,671 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 8,587 as pilot in command; 5,230 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 6, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 48 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 24, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce O-200A (piston); 48 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GXY Greeley CO at 10:00 pm
- Destination: GXY Greeley CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,801 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KGXY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.