Amateur-built Zenith CH-701 accident near Rolla, Missouri, October 10, 2005
On October 10, 2005 at about 8:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Zenith CH-701, registered N701PR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rolla, Missouri. 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 pilot misjudged the power required during the landing flare which resulted in a hard landing on the nose wheel. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2005 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rolla, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Zenith CH-701
- Registration
- N701PR · registry record · serial 74855
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged when the nose gear collapsed on landing. The pilot reported the accident occurred on the first landing during the airplane's first flight. He stated he misjudged the amount of power required during the landing flare and the airplane settled to the runway nose first. The nose gear collapsed which resulted in damage to the firewall.
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: 691 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 622 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Suzuki G13 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VIH Rolla MO
- Destination: VIH Rolla MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from VIH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 CHI06CA003.