Amateur-built CH 701 accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, August 7, 2009
On August 7, 2009 at about 4:35 pm local time, a amateur-built CH 701, registered N75644, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to the improper installation of the alternator drive gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2009 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Murfreesboro, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CH 701
- Registration
- N75644 · registry record · serial 7008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane, about 15 minutes after departing the airport, and while flying approximately 1,000 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot immediately established the airplane in a glide, and began looking for a suitable landing site. He asked the passenger to attempt an engine restart, but the passenger was not successful. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a pasture, which caused the nose landing gear to buckle and resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the alternator drive gear had sheared and jammed the accessory drive gears. Additionally, the alternator drive gear retaining nut did not have a cotter pin locking device installed, likely allowing the nut to back off. The airframe had accumulated 43 total hours since being assembled and the engine had accumulated 46 total hours since the most recent overhaul.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 550 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MBT Murfreesboro TN at 3:30 pm
- Destination: MQY Smyrna TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from MQY, 11 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N75644 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ERA09LA446.