Low-Altitude Maneuvering · NTSB CEN15FA211
HOFFMAN ZENITH 701 — Trinidad, CO
| Date | April 30, 2015 |
| Location | Trinidad, CO |
| Aircraft | HOFFMAN ZENITH 701 (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering-low-alt flying Loss of engine power (partial) |
| Pilot age | 53 |
| Pilot total time | Unknown |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Qualification/certification-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Angle of attack-Capability exceeded - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
What happened
The noncertificated pilot was conducting a personal flight in the experimental amateur-built airplane. A witness reported seeing the airplane circling overhead about 200 to 300 ft above ground level. According to the witness, the airplane's engine was running normally. The witness reported that during the third circle, the airspeed was low, the wings were level, and the pilot was turning the airplane using only the rudder. The witness heard the engine noise stop, and the airplane "flipped over to the left" and descended in a nose-down attitude to ground impact.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller blades displayed no evidence of rotational damage, indicating that the engine was not producing power at ground impact. An engine run was conducted, and the engine started and ran smoothly. Although it is possible that the uncoordinated (wings level) turns the pilot was making caused fuel to move away from the fuel tank ports resulting in fuel starvation, the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
The pilot did not hold any type of pilot certificate, a medical certificate, or a valid driver's license and his flight time is unknown. It is likely that as the pilot maneuvered the airplane at a low altitude, he allowed the airspeed to decay to the point of exceeding the wing's critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Further, it is likely that the pilot was lacking in flight training and experience, which prevented him from maintaining control of the airplane. Toxicological testing identified diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine, in the pilot's blood and urine, but the pilot's decision to perform turns at low altitude was likely not due to the effects of diphenhydramine.