Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER accident near Maricopa, Arizona, March 6, 2024
On March 6, 2024 at about 3:07 pm local time, a 2007 Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER, registered N601CF, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Maricopa, Arizona (Ak-Chin 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain pitch control, which resulted in abnormal contact with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2024 · about 3:07 pm local time
- Place
- Maricopa, Arizona · Ak-Chin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER, built 2007 · all SPORTCRUISERs on the register
- Registration
- N601CF · registry record · serial 07SC051
- 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 the takeoff roll and after pulling the control stick back to initiate rotation, the airplane pulled off the ground quickly. Concerned the airplane would stall, the pilot then pushed the stick forward. The airplane’s nose lowered which resulted in the nosewheel contacting the runway surface and folding back. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 247 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 130 as pilot in command; 2 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 27, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,619.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 21, 2023; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 375 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,751 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 am from KCGZ, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCGZ 061456Z AUTO 09004KT 10SM CLR 11/05 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP126 6//// T01110050 53009 PNO
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 October 22, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR24LA108.