Amateur-built CH601 N22XF accident near Oak Hill, Florida

Probable cause

A loss of airplane control while maneuvering at low altitude.

NTSB analysis

According to radar data, after takeoff, the pilot flew for about 3 minutes at an altitude of about 200 ft above ground level before making a left turn at a ground speed of 98 knots. Shortly after the turn, the radar data ended. The wreckage was located in heavily wooded, jungle-like terrain, in the immediate vicinity of the last radar return. An on-scene examination revealed the airplane likely impacted trees then the ground in a steep nose-down attitude at a high rate of speed. There was a strong odor of aviation fuel around the impact area. All major components of the airplane were located at the accident site.

The engine was buried about 2 ft into the ground and the empennage was folded forward over the cockpit area. The two-blade wooden propeller was fragmented but located in the impact crater with the engine. Examination of the airplane wreckage and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation at the time of impact. As such, it could not be determined why the airplane descended to ground impact.

Toxicological testing of postmortem specimens from the pilot were positive for ethanol and n-butanol. Detection of these substances was most likely due to postmortem production (rather than consumption) and likely did not contribute to the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA22FA056 for the full record.