Amateur-built ZODIAC CH-600 accident near Carmel, Indiana, September 1, 2000
On September 1, 2000 at about 1:15 pm local time, a amateur-built ZODIAC CH-600, registered N1156L, was destroyed in an accident near Carmel, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not maintaining altitude/clearance from the tower. A factor was the tower.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2000 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carmel, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZODIAC CH-600 ZODIAC CH-
- Registration
- N1156L · no longer on the register · serial 6-1552
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident airplane was destroyed during an in-flight impact with a tower and with terrain. A witness said, 'I watched the plane fly from North to South over my house. The plane was very low about 250 - 300ft. The engine sounded good and the plane was flying level and not loosing altitude. It appeared under control.' Another witness said, 'Heard a plane low - sounded like an ultra light - watched it circle us saw it was a single engine - it was right over us - heading north and flew right into the radio tower - and tumbled down to the ground - the right wing/airplane parts hung in the tower [and] the plane crashed....' At 0755, the weather was: Wind 110 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 7 statute miles; sky condition few 15,000 feet; temperature 24 degrees C; dew point 21 degrees C; altimeter 30.03 inches of mercury. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector said, 'Due to the extensive damage to the forward structure, some cable attachments were broken, but it appeared that all controls were in operation at the time of the accident.'
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 960 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 42 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AID Anderson IN at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from IND, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.