Amateur-built ZENITH STOLL 701 N705L accident near Grantsburg, Wisconsin

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in abnormal runway contact and the nose landing gear collapsing.

NTSB analysis

During landing with a slight quartering tail wind, the airplane touched down on the grass runway. The pilot reported that the runway was rougher than anticipated and attempted to lift the nose wheel for the remaining landing roll. The airplane became airborne, and the pilot pushed the control stick to a nose down position. The airplane bounced and then landed on the side of the nose wheel. The nose wheel collapsed, and the airplane flipped over and came to rest inverted. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and aft fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21LA398 for the full record.