Amateur-built ZENITH 601 HDS N601EZ accident near Ripley Landing, West Virginia

Preliminary information

On August 15, 2026, about 1300 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Zenith 601 HDS airplane, N601EZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Ripley Landing, West Virginia. The private pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot departed Jackson County Airport, Ravenswood, West Virginia (I18), with the intention of practicing touch and go landings at the airport. The pilot reported that during the left turn onto the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, the engine lost all power. The pilot turned the airplane towards the airport but did not have enough altitude to glide to it. The pilot made an emergency off field landing in a tree clearing about 1.2 miles south-southeast of the airport. Upon touchdown, the nose gear impacted terrain, the airplane then nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot was trapped under the wreckage until the following day when he was located by first responders about 0900.

The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for ERA26LA303 for the full record.