Walker Zenith Zodiac 601 XL accident near Canadian, TX
On May 2, 2007, a Walker Zenith Zodiac 601 XL (airplane) was involved in an accident near Canadian, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 2, 2007
- Place
- Canadian, TX
- Aircraft
- Walker Zenith Zodiac 601 XL · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.891°N, 100.402°W
- NTSB ID
- 20070509X00539
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 2, 2007, approximately 1245 central daylight time, an experimental Walker Zodiac 601 XL single-engine light sport airplane, N10028, sustained substantial damage following an in-flight break up and collision with terrain west of the Hemphill County Airport (HHF), near Canadian, Texas. The certificated sport pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by and registered to the pilot. No flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Hemphill County Airport approximately 1230. The purpose or destination of the flight could not be determined. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. A witness was dropping people off at a facility located near the airport around 1230, when he observed a "dingy tan color" airplane parked at the south end of the main runway with its engine running. He said, "The plane just looked odd to me. The plane took off the ground right in front of the Exhibition Center [where he was standing]. When the plane got up he immediately went to banking the plane back toward the Red Deer Bridge area. The plane was climbing and banking to the south at the same time. I thought to myself at the time that it was silly to take off in the rain the way the rain was coming in." The witness then drove his truck to the local nursing home. When he got out of the truck he could hear the airplane. He said it sounded "o.k" and thought that maybe the pilot was practicing take offs and landings. The witness turned his attention away from
Probable cause
The pilot's improper pre-flight planning and decision to depart into deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent in-flight break up.
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Browse: Texas
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
