Amateur-built CH 701 accident near Dexter, Michigan, July 10, 2016
On July 10, 2016 at about 4:05 pm local time, a 2009 amateur-built CH 701, registered N701ZG, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Dexter, Michigan. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2016 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Dexter, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CH 701, built 2009
- Registration
- N701ZG · registry record · serial 7-6607
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in the experimental, amateur-built airplane. He reported that, during cruise flight, the engine began running roughly and that he then landed at a nearby airport to examine the engine. The pilot was not able to determine what caused the roughness. He started the engine and performed a run-up, which was normal, so he departed to continue the flight. While en route, the engine again started running roughly and subsequently experienced a total loss of power. The pilot chose to conduct a forced landing in a soybean field, during which he had to lower the pitch altitude to fly under power lines, which resulted in an increase in airspeed and subsequent hard impact in the field. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive for the accumulation of carburetor ice at cruise power.
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 engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 298 hours in all; 196 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 202 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 30, 2016
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 194 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 186 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OZW Howell MI at 3:50 pm
- Destination: ARB Ann Arbor MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KARB, 11 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN16LA264.