Zenair CH 2000 accident near Topeka, Kansas, October 6, 2018
On October 6, 2018 at about 1:45 am local time, a 2000 Zenair CH 2000, registered N642AM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Topeka, Kansas (Philip Billard Muni 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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and a subsequent runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2018 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Topeka, Kansas · Philip Billard Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Zenair CH 2000 Undesignat, built 2000
- Registration
- N642AM · registry record · serial 20-0053
- 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, following his first solo flight in the recently acquired airplane, during landing, the airplane crossed the runway threshold about 70 knots airspeed with full flaps, and he placed the throttle in the idle position. During the landing flare, the airplane sank abruptly and touched down hard. The airplane bounced and exited the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to go around, but the airplane descended and impacted the grass safety area on the left side of the runway. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right fuselage formers. The pilot reported that there were no 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
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 › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 222 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 159 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 16, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,866.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,692 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 1,540 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWC Lawrence KS at 12:30 pm
- Destination: TOP Topeka KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,331 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KTOP
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 April 30, 2019. 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 | Photo | 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.