Amateur-built Z-MAX 1300 accident near Buckeye, Arizona, June 8, 1998
On June 8, 1998 at about 4:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Z-MAX 1300, registered N140FF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona. 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 failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing approach, and his poor in-flight planning in making an off-airport landing at an unsuitable landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 1998 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Buckeye, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Z-MAX 1300
- Registration
- N140FF · registry record · serial 1575-P
- 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 the engine temperature began to increase and he decided to make a precautionary landing in an open field. He later stated that he landed in that area so he could buy a drink from the local grocery store. During the landing rollout, the aircraft impacted an area of high brush. The aircraft nosed over and broke in half aft of the cockpit. The pilot holds a student pilot certificate/third-class medical dated December 3, 1993. The pilot reported that he has approximately 67 hours of total flight time, including 37 hours in the accident aircraft. An FAA inspector examined the pilot's logbook and reported that the logbook showed approximately 30 hours of flight instruction dating back to 1993, as well as a tail wheel aircraft endorsement made by a certified flight instructor approximately 5-6 months prior to the accident. The aircraft has no airworthiness certificate, nor is there an application for one. The FAA inspector examined the aircraft and reported that it was constructed of plywood and fabric. The inspector found no evidence of engine overheating. The pilot stated that he did not have the drawing plans or logbooks for the 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
Pilot
- Flight time: 67 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 464 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Zenoah G-50 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BXK Buckeye AZ at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.