Amateur-built ZENITH 701 accident near Mount Airy, North Carolina, December 1, 2017
On December 1, 2017 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 2016 amateur-built ZENITH 701, registered N701TF, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Mount Airy, North Carolina (Mount Airy/Surry 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2017 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Airy, North Carolina · Mount Airy/Surry County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENITH 701 NO SERIES, built 2016
- Registration
- N701TF · registry record · serial 4714
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane reported that, during takeoff, he raised the nose after reaching about 20 mph, and about 40 mph, the airplane lifted off the runway. He "held the stick back just a little [too] long and it started to tip stall to the left and [he] pushed the stick forward." He added that he applied right aileron and rudder because the airplane was drifting to the left side of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane aerodynamically stalled and bounced on the runway, and the right wheel separated from the airplane. He then, with full power, continued to fly and make right aileron and rudder inputs to get back over the runway. The airplane impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and wings. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 090° at 4 knots. The pilot was departing from runway 18.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Roll over during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 185 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 125 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 22, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 940 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 156 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWK Mount Airy NC at 9:00 pm
- Destination: MWK Mount Airy NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,301 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 9:05 pm from KMWK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 25, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N701TF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.