Skip to content

GAA16CA098

2016-01-02 · Chesapeake, Virginia, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CPK

Current FAA registration · N676L

Make / Model
ZENITH ZODIAC 601 XL
Year of manufacture
2009 · 7 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-200A (100 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20250206
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A8F2FC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing, causing the airplane to bounce and the nose gear to collapse, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and frame.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot of the tricycle landing gear equipped airplane, he was performing a normal approach and landing to an asphalt runway. He reported that after accomplishing the landing flare he recalled "jockeying" the stick in order to get closer to the runway. The airplane touched down, bounced three times and the pilot added power. The airplane struck the ground a fourth time and the nose gear collapsed. The pilot reported that the airplane skidded down the center of the runway and came to a halt. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and frame. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation. According to the pilot of the tricycle landing gear equipped airplane, he was performing a normal approach and landing to an asphalt runway. He reported that after accomplishing the landing flare he recalled "jockeying" the stick in order to get closer to the runway. The airplane touched down, bounced three times and the pilot added power. The airplane struck the ground a fourth time and the nose gear collapsed. The pilot reported that the airplane skidded down the center of the runway and came to a halt. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and frame.  The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Nose/tail landing gear-Damaged/degraded
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2016_GAA16CA098.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.