Amateur-built ZENITH CH750 accident near Franklin, Pennsylvania, December 9, 2017
On December 9, 2017 at about 6:15 pm local time, a 2017 amateur-built ZENITH CH750, registered N750AD, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Franklin, Pennsylvania (Venango Rgnl airport). It was a flight test 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 excessive application of aft stick during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to this accident was the pilot’s inexperience in the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2017 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Pennsylvania · Venango Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENITH CH750 NO SERIES, built 2017
- Registration
- N750AD · registry record · serial 75-8235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the experimental amateur-built airplane, he was conducting a flight test. During the takeoff roll, he applied "too much aft stick," and the airplane entered an unintentional steep climb at a low airspeed. The airplane rolled left about 30°, he corrected to the right, and the airplane's nose dropped. The pilot further reported that he may have reduced the throttle and overcorrected to the right. The airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that this was his second flight in the accident airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Abrupt maneuver during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 11, 2017
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 0.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 24, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ul Power Aero UL350iS (piston); 1 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FKL Franklin PA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: FKL Franklin PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KFKL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 5, 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 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, FAA Inspector | 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.
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.