National Transportation Safety Board

Aviation Accident Preliminary Report

Location: Laddonia, MO Accident Number: CEN17FA288

Date & Time: 07/27/2017, 0400 CDT Registration: N701XL
Aircraft: ZENITH CH701SP Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

On July 27, 2017, about 0415 central daylight time, a Zenith CH 701SP, N701XP, piloted by a
non-instrument rated sport pilot, was destroyed when the it impacted terrain approximately
6.5 miles north of Laddonia, and 16.5 miles northeast of Mexico, Missouri. Instrument
meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being
conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight
plan. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane were fatally injured. The cross-country
flight originated from Mexico Municipal Airport (KMYJ), Mexico, Missouri, about 0400, and
was en route to Oshkosh (OSH), Wisconsin.

According to the airport manager, the airplane arrived late in the day on July 26. The pilot said
he wanted to get an early start the next morning because he wanted to arrive at OSH when the
control tower opened at 0700. The manager said he believed the pilot and his wife camped that
evening next to the airplane. When the manager arrived at the airport the next morning, the
airplane was gone. The airplane was later reported missing and an ALNOT (Alert Notice) was
issued that evening. The wreckage was located early the next morning.

The on-scene investigation revealed the airplane struck the ground in a right wing low, nose
down attitude as evidenced by green position light fragments at the beginning of the ground
scar, followed by the impact crater. A crushed right wing and relatively intact left wing were
located further down the debris path, followed by the fuselage and engine. The debris path was
aligned on a heading back towards Mexico. There is no record that the pilot obtained a weather
briefing or filed a flight plan.

Page 1 of 2 CEN17FA288
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: ZENITH Registration: N701XL
Model/Series: CH701SP Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator: On file Air Carrier Operating None
Certificate:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: KMYJ Observation Time: 0415 CDT
Distance from Accident Site: 17 Nautical Miles Temperature/Dew Point: 22C / 22C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Wind Speed/Gusts, 5 knots, 230
Direction:
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 1100 ft agl Visibility: 1.5 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.94 inches Hg Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Mexico, MO (KMYJ) Destination: Oshkosh, WI (KOSH)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal Latitude, Longitude: 39.334444, -91.685833
Administrative Information
Investigator In Charge (IIC): Arnold W Scott
Additional Participating Persons:
Note: The NTSB traveled to the scene of this accident.

Page 2 of 2 CEN17FA288
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.