Amateur-built Zenith Air CH 701 accident near Rochester, Washington, June 7, 2003
On June 7, 2003 at about 2:30 am local time, a amateur-built Zenith Air CH 701, registered N2748, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rochester, Washington. 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
Loose jet in the carburetor while on climb out resulting in a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2003 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Rochester, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Zenith Air CH 701
- Registration
- N2748 · no longer on the register · serial 74218
- 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 at a distance of about one mile from the departure airport and at 800 feet above ground level (AGL), the engine lost complete power. In an effort to avoid trees during the forced landing, the pilot was unable to maintain airspeed which resulted in a "hard" landing which broke the nose wheel axle bolt. Just before the aircraft stopped, the nose fork dug in and the aircraft nosed over. The pilot reported that the engine quit because a jet came loose in the carburetor.
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
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 58.1 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 20WA Rochester WA at 2:28 am
- Destination: 4WA2 Little Rock WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.