Amateur-built ZENITH 701 accident near La Belle, Florida, April 5, 2014
On April 5, 2014 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built ZENITH 701, registered N410KT, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near La Belle, Florida (La Belle Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed after a total loss of engine power at takeoff, which resulted in a hard landing. Also causal was the pilot/owner/builder's improper installation of the magnetos which resulted in the engine power loss.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2014 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- La Belle, Florida · La Belle Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENITH 701, built 2012
- Registration
- N410KT · registry record · serial 8565
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner/builder reported that at 30 to 50 feet above the runway in a steep climb after takeoff, the engine stopped producing power. The airplane "nosed over quickly" and landed hard on the nose wheel, bounced, and landed hard on the nose wheel again, collapsing it, and causing substantial damage to the firewall and airframe. Examination of the airplane's engine by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed that both magnetos were improperly grounded at installation. The installation as found resulted in a degraded performance, and over time, resulted in a complete ignition failure and total loss of engine power.
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 engine power (total) during takeoff
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Owner/builder
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 58 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 58 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 12, 2013; 58 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X14 La Belle FL
- Destination: X14 La Belle FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,254 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from RSW, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.