Amateur-built ZENAIR CH 601 HD accident near Lebanon, Indiana, September 20, 2022
On September 20, 2022 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 2004 amateur-built ZENAIR CH 601 HD, registered N905KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lebanon, Indiana (Boone 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of lateral/bank control during takeoff due to the pilot’s decision to operate the airplane with a known fuel imbalance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2022 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Indiana · Boone County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENAIR CH 601 HD, built 2004
- Registration
- N905KM · registry record · serial 6-3795
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a maintenance test flight following a recent condition inspection. Due to a persistent fuel leak in the right wing fuel tank, the pilot had about 11 gallons of fuel in the left wing fuel tank and the right fuel tank was empty. Before takeoff, the pilot checked all flight controls with no anomalies noted. The pilot reported that shortly after being out of ground effect during the takeoff, the airplane began to roll to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with right aileron control but was unsuccessful. The pilot pulled the throttle to idle, and the left roll continued until the left wingtip struck the terrain. The airplane cartwheeled into a cornfield adjacent to the runway, came to rest upright, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely the known fuel imbalance resulted in a left roll tendency that could not be corrected with the flight controls during the takeoff.
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 in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,030 hours in all; 581 in this make and model; 949 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 10, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 581 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 19, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912S (piston); 581 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,600 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from KEYE, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KEYE 201353Z AUTO 13005KT 10SM CLR 22/17 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP168 T02170167 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN22LA426.