Amateur-built ZENITH STOL CH 701 accident near San Saba, Texas, July 4, 2018
On July 4, 2018 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 2003 amateur-built ZENITH STOL CH 701, registered N127VV, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near San Saba, Texas (San Saba County Muni airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare during the aborted takeoff, which resulted in a hard landing and a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2018 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- San Saba, Texas · San Saba County Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZENITH STOL CH 701 No Series, built 2003
- Registration
- N127VV · registry record · serial 74326
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during takeoff, he applied right rudder to counteract the left turning tendencies of the airplane, but the airplane continued left of the runway centerline. He was unable to correct back to the runway centerline when the airplane was about 5 to 10 ft above the ground, so he decided to abort the takeoff and land on the grass left of the runway. During the landing, the airplane landed hard, the nose landing gear "dug" into the grass, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Hard landing during landing
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 581.2 hours in all; 6.3 in this make and model; 25.3 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 469.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 18, 2018
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 816.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 8, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 816 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 81R San Saba TX at 2:15 pm
- Destination: AQO Llano TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13, 4,205 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:10 pm from KAQO, 27 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.
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.