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GAA18CA083

2017-12-09 · Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport FKL

Current FAA registration · N750AD

Make / Model
ZENITH STOL CH 750
Year of manufacture
2017 · 0 years old at event
Engine
AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20171024
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AA1A0D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s excessive application of aft stick during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to this accident was the pilot’s inexperience in the airplane.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot in the experimental amateur-built airplane, he was conducting a flight test. During the takeoff roll, he applied "too much aft stick," and the airplane entered an unintentional steep climb at a low airspeed. The airplane rolled left about 30°, he corrected to the right and the airplane's nose dropped. The pilot further reported that he may have reduced the throttle and overcorrected to the right. The airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that this was his second flight in the accident airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot in the experimental amateur-built airplane, he was conducting a flight test. During the takeoff roll, he applied "too much aft stick," and the airplane entered an unintentional steep climb at a low airspeed. The airplane rolled left about 30°, he corrected to the right, and the airplane's nose dropped. The pilot further reported that he may have reduced the throttle and overcorrected to the right. The airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that this was his second flight in the accident airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
  • F Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total experience w/ equipment-Pilot - F

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_GAA18CA083.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.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (stall). All research papers