Amateur-built CREECH JERRY CH 701 accident near Lusby, Maryland, May 5, 2018
On May 5, 2018 at about 7:45 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built CREECH JERRY CH 701, registered N701XS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lusby, Maryland (Chesapeake Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2018 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lusby, Maryland · Chesapeake Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CREECH JERRY CH 701 NO SERIES, built 2012
- Registration
- N701XS · registry record · serial 76489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane owner reported that, during the flight, he was seated in the right seat, and the pilot flying was seated in the left seat. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with single-engine land and flight instructor ratings. He added that the experimental amateur-built airplane had one throttle located on the far-left side of the cabin, one set of brakes located on the left rudder pedals, and nosewheel steering that was interconnected with the rudder pedals. He further reported that the pilot started and taxied the airplane for takeoff; performed climbs, descents, and turns; and then landed. During landing, the airplane was fast, touched down hard, and bounced about 20 to 25 ft. The pilot then said, "Oh that's alright I got it," leveled the airplane, and continued the landing. Subsequently, the airplane porpoised, landed with the nose left of the runway centerline, veered off the runway to the left, and struck a tree. The owner added that, during the landing, he told the pilot "nose down, right rudder," and during the runway excursion, he yelled "brakes!" He added that the pilot never reduced throttle to idle, and he never felt the application of brakes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The owner reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's lawyer reported that his client was not the pilot flying the airplane because he did not have previous training in the category, class, and type of aircraft.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,179 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 11, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 43.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 15, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 3 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MD50 Lusby MD at 7:15 pm
- Destination: MD50 Lusby MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from KNHK, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 GAA18CA259.