Amateur-built ZENITH CH 750 CRUZER accident near Blossom, Texas, July 17, 2021
On July 17, 2021 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 2018 amateur-built ZENITH CH 750 CRUZER, registered N9667Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Blossom, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper swaging of the rudder control cable, which disconnected during flight and resulted in the loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2021 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Blossom, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENITH CH 750 CRUZER, built 2018
- Registration
- N9667Z · registry record · serial C75-10349
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Immediately after takeoff, the experimental airplane experienced a rudder control malfunction, and the pilot landed back on the runway. The pilot was unable to maintain control, and the airplane departed the runway. During the runway excursion, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. A postaccident examination of the flight controls revealed that the control cable that should have been connected to the pilot’s left rudder pedal was separated at the point where it had been swaged to the end fitting. The other flight control cables were swaged in a similar manner, and all were done improperly according to the airplane kit manufacturer. There were no other anomalies noted with the airplane. The airplane was built about 3 years before the accident, and the airplane maintenance logbooks did not show any entries related to the rudder cables. Therefore, it is likely that the cables were improperly swaged during the original build of the airplane, and the error was not discovered during subsequent condition inspections.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb defining event
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Fabrication › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,210 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 1,210 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 8, 2021
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ul Power 350i (piston); 101 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KPRX, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPRX 172156Z AUTO 18007KT 10SM FEW050 33/22 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP170 T03330222
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 CEN21LA326.